The Things We Do
by Spiras Stargate
Summary: Sometimes the outcome of mistakes are better than the outcome of perfection.Slash
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Things We Do  
Rating: Mature  
Warnings: slash (m/m and f/f), spanking, swearing, and Daniel glares  
Pairings: Jack/Daniel, Carter/OCC, Teal'c/OCC, OCC/OCC  
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Stargate SG-1, I only play in the world others have created.

A/N: Yes this is a repost/fix of a story I had started about 2 years ago. I've changed a few things, but the older story is still logged here so if you want to see how it's changed, up until chapter 9, you're free to do so.

Also since I do have this finished, I can update as soon as I see people wanting more of the story. If no one says anything it might just take longer to be updated.

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Daniel Jackson sat in his office, looking sadly at a picture of Jack O'Neill, that was taken at a BBQ party held at the colonel's house. He was at the grill, smiling his cocky smile, metal spatula in the air, wearing an apron that said, 'Kiss the Cook's Ass' with a little devil's tail coming off the end of the last s on ass.

"Hey Dannyboy! You coming to the meeting or not?" the man he'd been thinking about called from the doorway of his office, "I heard Carter is going to be showing slides of old scientific stuff found on…P3J…whatever! Any way there were some pictures or writing on it that I'm sure you'd like to look at."

Daniel turned his swivel chair around so that he was facing him, "I'll…uh…be there in a minute," he quickly put the picture frame face down on his desk so the older man couldn't see what he'd been looking at.

Unfortunately Jack had already noticed he was looking at something, and strolled into the room and over to the desk, "What ya looking at?"

The young man knew that Jack would snoop around until he found whatever it was, even if it meant being late to a meeting. He grabbed the photo and stuck it in a desk drawer that was half open, and shut it, "Nothing! Just doing 'my thing'."

Jack pulled on the drawer and frowned when it wouldn't open, "Daniel…"

"It locks when you close it, and wouldn't you know it," Daniel said looking around, "the key's gone missing again."

The Colonel gave him one of his looks that said, 'There are other ways of getting in drawers without keys Daniel, so you better open it right now or you'll never be able to lock it again.'

Of course Daniel pretended like he didn't know what the other man was ticked about or thinking, "Yes I know, late. We better hurry," he jumped to his feet and lightly pushed Jack toward the door.

"What were you doing? You're hiding something and in the past that hasn't been a good thing!"

Daniel stopped pushing him and turned around, grabbing his office door, shutting it and locked it with his key, "Just some very important…research Jack. Really it's nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," the blue eyed man said tightly. "Now come on. We're going to be late."


	2. Chapter 2

Daniel sighed silently as he stared off into space. Sam's slide show '_had'_ been pretty interesting, and he'd done his job telling them that the language, was a form of Old English with a little Goa'uld mixed in. After telling them what the artifacts said, he drifted off into another study of his that had nothing to do with the slide show, or anything else he was well known for. Colonel O'Neillology.

"-kson? What do you think?"

He blinked stupidly, shaking his head, "Excuse me?"

Across and down the table from him, Jack raised his eyebrows, "They asked if you thought that it would be worth it to go back to the planet and see if any more technology can be found."

"Well, one never knows what can be found on these-" he noticed everyone was giving him that look that said, 'Just get to the point.' "Uh…not really. No, actually. I think anything the Government would be interested in, has already been found."

Everyone continued to look at him, only now as if he had gone crazy.

"Is something wrong?" he asked looking around the table.

Samantha did her classic frown, smirk at him, "Well usually you'd jump at the chance to visit a planet again, especially ones with walls of writing you didn't get the chance to record."

"Well you asked me, and like you've always wanted, I told you that there was nothing there that would interest you, or rather the Government. Now that I've finally said what you've always wanted to hear from me straight out, everyone jumps on me! It's no better then when I '_did'_ think we should go back! I really don't understand what you want from me!"

Everyone in the meeting room stayed silent for a while, before the General spoke up, "I have reason to believe that there might be more to be found on that planet. I'm going to send SG-8 there for a revaluation and see if they can find anything."

There was another silence, and everyone waited for Daniel to say something, but when he didn't, Sam took her seat and the General stood up.

"Well I guess that's all for today people. I'll see you in the morning for your next scheduled gate travel. Dismissed."

Daniel got to his feet and walked slowly out the door, while everyone else stayed where they were looking after him.

"I believe there is something wrong with DanielJackson," Teal'c said, turning his head to look at Jack.

General Hammond looked around the room, "Dr. Jackson hasn't got into anything on the missions, has he? Something you haven't told me about?"

"No Sir. Daniel's been unusually passive the last few times SG-1's been out. He hasn't gotten into any trouble that 'I'm' aware of, at least," Samantha said looking over at Jack.

The older man raised both his eyebrows, "Don't look at me," half shouted at Carter, before turning to look at the General, "I've been watching him like a hawk, Sir. All he's been doing is safe, translating and looking at 'pretty stuff'. '_Normal'_ 'pretty stuff'," Jack said quickly.

"O'Neill, I have known DanielJackson for a many years. He has never gone this long without becoming in need of our assistance. I believe we should be worried about him."

Sam looked first at the General and then at the Colonel, "I think Teal'c's right Sirs. Daniel is…a trouble magnet. He's always poking around in things he shouldn't be or trying to help someone that has no hope, and getting us dragged into the mix. This isn't normal."

Jack sighed, "Nothing we ever do is normal. Maybe he's just been having a bad day…for the last few days."

"No I don't think that's it," Sam said looking at Jack. "I think Daniel's depressed."

The Colonel snorted, "Daniel's been depressed ever since I first met him, and his life hasn't gotten much better. The kid's unlucky, we all know that. We've been there for him every step of the way since he joined the team."

"You have Sir. Not us," she said looking right at him.

"She's right Colonel. You've known him the longest," George said.

Jack looked around the table, "What? You want me to go find out what's wrong?"

"Indeed. You are the only one that is close enough to DanielJackson that he would confide in."

"Oh no! I'm not the right person for this. Carter would be much better at this than I would, and besides you two have spent all that time together. Daniel and I haven't…really talked in……Oh I see now. You think that he's upset because I've been ignoring him."

"So it would seem," Teal'c said looking at him.

Samantha sighed, "Sir, I don't think Daniel will open up to me this time. You've known him the longest. Chances are he'll trust you."

Jack looked around the table, "I really don't think this is a-"

"Jack, you know we need everyone, on all the teams, at 100. If you like, I'll make it an order for you to 'consol' Dr. Jackson."

The grey haired man frowned, "No Sir…that won't be necessary. This might take some time though-"

"As of right now, SG-1 is on stand-down for a well deserved vacation. You will have the next two weeks off, and just to make sure you take them off, all members of SG-1 will be denied access to the mountain. Including Teal'c."

"GeneralHammond, might I go visit my family?"

"I think that is an excellent idea Teal'c. You may leave as soon as you are ready."

Teal'c nodded his head, smiling slightly before getting up and leaving the meeting room.

Samantha got to her feet and started picking up her file folders, "I think I'm going to go visit the ocean and get some sun. What are you going to do Sir?"

Jack got to his feet as well and sighed, "Spend some quality time with a friend, Major, at my house I think."

"No fishing Colonel?" the General asked.

"No Sir," Jack said smiling his grimacing smile. "I think the best way to talk with Daniel is not in the wilderness. He'd kill me by the time the trip was over, and though that might relieve some of his stress, it wouldn't be too good for 'my' health."


	3. Chapter 3

Daniel was back in his office looking at the photo of Jack again. He let his finger tips brush lightly on the glass, along the older man's cheek. His blue eyes were distant and sad behind his glasses, "I don't know what happened, but I wish it wouldn't have."

"Yo! Daniel!" Jack said loudly.

The anthropologist quickly turned the photo over, rapidly blinking his eyes so that the half formed tears wouldn't run down his cheeks, "Yeah Jack?"

"The General decided that we needed some time off and gave us the next two weeks to be mountain free," Jack noticed his friend's eyes were red and a little wet but he chose to ignore it. For now.

"What about-"

"He said our missions will be postponed until we get back."

Daniel frowned, "We don't have time, to take time off. The Goa'uld-"

"Can wait. We've been working none-stop for way too long. Teal'c's even going to go visit his kid."

"But-"

"Daniel, don't look a gift General in the mouth! If we're fried, then there is no way in hell we'll be able to fight Goa'ulds."

Daniel sighed, "I haven't got anything to do for two weeks."

"Neither do I… I know! Why don't you stay over at my place? We'll drink beer, and watch a few games, order a few pizza's…"

"Well…" Daniel paused, "Jack I don't know if-"

"Oh come on! You can stay in the extra bedroom! We'll go over to your apartment and get your stuff. Stay over the whole two weeks! I'll get to show you my new telescope too!"

"Jack-"

"We used to do this all the time remember? Come on it'll be fun! And I promise I won't drag you out to who knows where to go fishing."

Daniel looked at him, surpirsed, "Promise?"

"Promise. No O'Neill excursions!"

"Well…alright, if you're sure you don't mind," the younger man said turning off his reading light and shutting down his computer.

"I wouldn't have asked you if I minded," Jack smiled warmly before dropping an arm around Daniel's shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

Three hours later, Daniel was sitting next to Jack as they watched a hockey game on TV. If anyone that didn't know them, were to come in and see them sitting how they were, Daniel with his head leaned back, rolled toward Jack, and the Colonel with his arm resting on the back of the couch, behind Daniel's head, they would have thought they were a couple.

Of course, to Daniel at least, that wouldn't have been so bad. In fact the younger man would have probably smiled at the idea.

"Jack…I think I'm going to go to bed."

The older man frowned and turned to look at his couch companion, "Why? I thought you wanted to watch that old black and white movie that was on right after the game."

Daniel stood taking his glasses off, rubbing his face, "I'm…just really tired…Jack."

The Colonel almost fell for it but then Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose, which meant he was tired, but only of keeping up an act of some kind, "Daniel…actually I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" he was squeezing his eyes shut now.

"About why…you've been so distant with everyone lately."

Two very blue eyes looked over at him, wide with shock, "I haven't been distant. Sam and I went out and saw a movie the other night and I took Teal'c to game a few weeks ago. I was planning on taking him to an art exhibit or something else next week, since no one else seems to have time for him…"

Jack squinted at him, thinking he heard a double meaning in there somewhere, "Ok then, why…we've been distant."

He swallowed hard and looked away, doing his famous self hug, "You're the one that started that. I asked if you wanted to go to that star watchers exhibit and you said you had other things to do."

"Well just because I couldn't go one time-"

"A few days later I asked if you wanted to come over and help me paint my living room and you said that you were…busy."

Jack looked ashamed, "Well I was. The General was going to have my neck if I didn't start filling out some of that mountain of paper work."

"I asked you to do a lot of things and you just brushed me off. I even asked you if you would take me out to your cabin to go fishing and you said you had to do yard work. I offered to come over and help but you said you didn't need any."

That one stuck Jack dead. He would usually jump to take anyone fishing, especially out at his cabin, even if over half the base made fun of him because as the legend stated, there weren't any fish in the pond, to begin with, "I guess I didn't hear you or-"

"You were ignoring and avoiding me," Daniel said in a cold accusing voice. "Even when we're at the SGC, you only talk to me to tell me there's a meeting. Just like the other day when I was-" he stopped and rolled his eyes around the room. "Sorry. I don't think this was a good idea."

"Of course it was. I missed having you around. Come on and sit back down. We'll watch something you wanna watch."

Daniel met his eyes, "Really? Then why did it take you two months to notice that we hadn't been speaking?"

"Stress?" Jack tried.

"I'm going to bed Jack, and in the morning I'm going home."

"No. You're staying here until we work this out," Jack said in a determined voice.

Daniel glared at him, "This isn't something you…we can just work out! You can't just fix our…friendship…by inviting me over for a beer!"

"Of course I can't….You don't even '_like_' beer."

Fed up, the younger man walked out of the living room and down the hall to the spare bedroom.

"Daniel! I'm not done talking to you yet!"

But there was not returning answer from the other man.

Jack quickly got up and went after Daniel, catching him in the extra bedroom with his shirt half-way over his head.

"Get out!" the linguist yelled as soon as he saw Jack.

"It's '_my'_ extra bedroom!"

"Well I'm changing!"

The Colonel rolled his eyes, "We're both guys Daniel. It's not like I'm going to see anything I haven't seen before in the locker room."

Daniel blushed trying to cover himself with his arms, "Please just-"

Jack saw the tears whiling up in the younger man's eyes, "What's really wrong? It has nothing to do with me ignoring you, does it?"

" I don't want to talk about it. Go away…"

Of course the older man ignored him and went closer, reaching out, trying to take him into his arms, "Come on Danny. We've done this before."

Daniel glared at him with teary eyes, before throwing his T-shirt at Jack's head forcefully, "I. Said. Get. Out."

"I want to help."

"If you want to help you'll leave me alone! I'm going home!"

"I won't let you," Jack said coldly.

At first it seemed like Jack had won, but then Daniel chilled his orbs and focused them on Jack with a vengeance, "You fucking son of a bitch… We're not friends any more Jack! The guy I used to know, the real Jack O'Neill, died a long time ago, fighting the Goa'uld and he left me behind…to fend for myself!"

Jack paled, "Daniel I didn't-"

"And whoever you are…Please…let me go because even though you look like him. You're not…"

"Daniel...? I'm sorry. I-"

"NO! You're NOT! How CAN you be sorry? You can't even BEGIN to understand what I've WENT THROUGH THE LAST TWO MONTHS!" Daniel's frozen eyes thawed some, "And if you were my Jack…you'd let me go."

Jack wanted to keep him there, but he'd rather let him go than make him even more miserable, "Fine… Leave."

Daniel grabbed his bags, unzipping one and taking out a shirt to put on, before he picked them back up and pushed past Jack. He ran down the hall and out the front door before the Colonel had even thought about moving. He watched Daniel hurry off down the sidewalk and almost thought about running after him to at least give him a ride over to his apartment. Instead, he dropped down to sit on the edge of the bed, knowing that Daniel would have his cell phone with him, and that he'd call a cab or the mountain and get a ride home that way.

"Guess I screwed that one up. They're going to kill me," he said to the shirt on the floor that Daniel had thrown at him.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Jack called Carter and told her what happened. She promptly invited herself over to his house, so they could have lunch and talk some more.

Jack was sitting on the couch looking at the blank TV screen, drinking a beer when Sam knocked on his door, "It's open!"

The major came inside, glancing around at the mess that had been left from the night before, "Sir?"

"I screwed up. I told you this was a bad idea."

Carter walked over so she was in front of him and took the beer out of his hand and set it on the coffee table, " Drinking…isn't going to help, Sir."

"Carter! I don't care, and stop with the 'Sir'. We're off base."

"Habit, S-…Jack."

The silver haired man covered his face with his hands, "He hates me Carter."

"You can call me Sam, Jack. We're off base, and I know. You told me that a number of times when you called. You never really did tell me what happened though."

Jack sighed and told her every last thing that happened, even his thoughts at the time.

When he was finished Sam sighed, "Well…things could be worse… What were you thinking? You had two weeks to get him to tell you what was wrong."

"When he got over here I just…It was like we were picking up from where we left off. I just thought…being here would make him think that too and he would tell me everything. Then we could have gone some where he wanted to go and had a bunch of fun."

"Jack…Why '_did'_ you start ignoring Daniel? A few months ago, you were always with him, even on missions and then it just…stopped."

"I…don't want to talk about it," he mumbled ducking his head down.

"Sir?" Sam said, forgetting to call him Jack, "I think it would help if you told me. What happened?"

"I…had a dream about him…and me…" he grumbled blushing a deep shade of red.

Samantha frowned, "That's why you started ignoring him?"

"We were having sex Carter!"

"I'd guessed as much, but that's no reason to start ignoring someone you've been friends with for years. Sometimes when you have sex with someone in a dream, it doesn't mean you have secret feelings for them."

Jack buried his head in his hands again, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, "I started thinking about how good he looked in his blue BDUs. I started askin' him out to dinner at fancy places. I was getting pissed at other people because they were making fun of him. When that Major Davis, from the Pentagon, comes to the SGC, he starts talking to Daniel and before I know it, I'm givin' him the evil eye. And those are only the things that I'm going to tell you about!"

Sam blinked a few times in surprise at such an open confession, "Do you think you started to feel this way because you haven't been in a steady relationship for a long time?"

"No! It's just that…I'm supposed to think of…"

"Women like that?"

Jack nodded, reaching over to grab his beer again. He took a drink before setting it back down, "I thought if I avoided him…that everything would go back to normal."

"And it didn't," Sam summarized.

"No, it didn't. If anything, it got worse."

Sam smiled softly, "You still like him then?"

"Of course!" Jack half yelled, "I was going to tell him too, but he left before I could. I wanted to go after him, but…"

"You'd already hurt his feelings and he'd already hurt yours enough for one night, am I right?"

He nodded and then gave a weak laugh, "I can't believe I'm telling you this!"

"Would you like me to go over and talk to him? I'm sure I could get him to-"

"No. 'I'm' going to tell him," Jack said sternly. "You _can_ go over and take him out or something. Tell him that you called me and found out we'd had a fight. Be on his side and tell him I'm a jerk."

Samantha smiled, "If you say so Jack."


	6. Chapter 6

Two weeks later Jack was suiting up for his first mission. Teal'c was the only one getting ready besides him. Carter and Daniel had yet to show. He'd tired calling the younger man a few times, after waiting a few days, but he never answered, "God I screwed up."

"Did things not go well between you and DanielJackson?" Teal'c asked.

Jack sighed, letting his head hit the closed locker in front of him, "Nope. Now he's pissed as hell at me."

"Would you like me to-"

"No! No thanks Teal'c. I'll get this worked out on my own."

"Very well O'Neill."

Jack grabbed the last of his gear and left the locker room, headed to the Embarkation room. Once inside he watched as one of the SG teams came back from being off world, nodding to the two men and two women as they passed him.

"Colonel O'Neill?" General Hammond asked, "Did everything go well?"

"No Sir. In fact, I'm almost worried my life maybe on the line."

"Colonel, you said you could get this taken care of," he whispered to his 2nd in command.

Jack frowned, "I thought I could, Sir. I think I was just trying too hard."

"This isn't going to effect your team is it Colonel?" the General asked.

"No. I won't let it."

Just then the man in question came into the Embarkation room. Everyone who saw him knew it was better to stay out of his way. Everyone that is, except the General.

"Dr. Jackson, how was your vacation?" George asked trying for some conversation.

At once he wished he hadn't said anything at all, "I could have found better ways to spend my time, General." His voice had a frozen snap to it.

Jack immediately, moved as far away from Daniel as he could get, and still be in the same room.

"I'm sorry to hear that Dr. Jackson," the General said before retreating back into the control room.

Teal'c came, not 5 minutes after Daniel, with Sam right behind him, "We are ready for departure, O'Neill."

"You heard the man. Dial us out," Jack said just loud enough so they could hear him behind the glass.

When the seventh chevron engaged and the event horizon was stable, Jack walked up the ramp and went through the shimmering puddle. On the other side he walked down the steps and sighed deeply as he heard his team mates come through, and then the wormhole disabled.

"Just so you know, I'm not going to mix work with what happened back on Earth," Daniel said unemotionally to Jack's back.

"Whatever," the Colonel muttered back, walking into the trees. He wasn't 75 ft from the gate, when he saw a large group of people heading their way. They carried no weapons so Jack, just watched them, with mild interest, keeping his weapon at the ready.

Daniel came up beside him, but not right next to him, like he always had before. When the people were in listening range he started his normal spiel, "Hello! We are peaceful explorers from Earth. We mean you no harm."

A young man leading the group came forward and bowed slightly, "I am Marr, Prince of Magaze."

"I'm Daniel Jackson. This is our…team leader…Colonel Jack O'Neill," he turned around and pointed at Carter, "That's Major Samantha Carter and that's Teal'c."

Marr smiled warmly at the mention of Teal'c name, "You have returned. Vegon has missed you, Master Teal'c."

Teal'c smiled warmly, "And I have missed him."

"You are not with the gods this time?" the prince asked.

"No. I have left the service of the gods, for they are false, as you told me."

Marr smiled, before turning back to Daniel, "You came through the circle of the gods, and because of that, you will stay in their houses." He reached forward and took a hold of Daniel's hand softly. He then turned to the group of people behind him, "Separate into three groups and escort Danyel's friends to the houses of the gods." he turned then and led Daniel away by himself.

Jack frowned as a mob of handsome men crowded around him, touching him, "Uh…no offence but I don't…Hey! What do you think you're doing!"

"O'Neill, MajorCarter. This is a planet where same sex relations are the way of life. The ones who choose opposite sex partners are banished to a settlement far away from here."

"Why don't you tell us these things 'before' we leave the house?" Jack asked grimacing.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow, "I did not think it was of great importance. They are not a dangerous people O'Neill and their dislike of the Goa'uld is great."

Jack sighed in defeat, turning to look at Carter. Many pretty women had gathered around her, and she looked amused, "Enjoying that Major?"

She blushed wickedly before smiling, "Actually Sir, I don't mind this at all."

"Carter!" Jack asked shocked.

"What? Don't ask, Don't tell."

The Colonel shook his head, and let himself be pulled along by the group of men around him. He noticed Teal'c hardly had anyone around him, "Teal'c why isn't your crowd as big as mine?"

"I already have a lover on this planet O'Neill. He most likely is waiting for my return in the Village."

"What!"

"I chose him as my mate while visiting here many years ago, before I became First Prime. One mate of a couple must stay in the village at all times, unless traveling together."

"Teal'c just how many people are you married to out in the universe?"

"It is not uncommon for a Jaffa to have many wives or husbands in total on other planets."

Jack sighed and kept quiet, knowing that it would keep him out of trouble.

Once everyone reached the village, all but one of the people from Jack's and Carter's group, left, "Come Jack O'Neill. I will take you to your rooms," a man, who couldn't have been more than six or seven years younger than Jack, said. His eyes were silvery blue and his hair was very light brown with silver streaks.

"See you later Sir!" Carter called putting an arm around a red head's waist.

"Teal'c!" A man's voice called from some where. Jack turned toward it and watched as a black haired, tanned man came from a larger house and all but jumped into the Jaffa's arms. He was thin but muscular and his black hair was short and spiked in clumps, "You have come back to me! I have missed you!"

"And I you. I am fighting the false gods now."

The man smiled widely, "You will destroy them, but come back to our home with me. I have so much to tell you."

Teal'c looked at Jack, "I will return later."

Jack sighed and watched, as his last friend disappeared, "Ok. Led on."

The man wrapped his arm around Jack's and led him off to his rooms in a large building, "You will be staying here until the night meal is called. Did you see any of the men that pleased you Jack O'Neill?"

"Uh…Where's Daniel?"

"Danyel? He is with Marr… He is not your mate is he!"

Jack's face tightened, before he sighed, "No, he's not my…"

The man smiled sadly, "You find him attractive? Your Danyel?"

"No," Jack lied quickly. A little too quickly.

"I will speak of this to no one, if that is what you worry about. Have you told him?"

"No and I'm not going to," Jack went over to a large pillow, and carefully sat down on it.

"You are afraid he will not share your feelings?"

The Colonel frowned up at the other man, "Listen. I don't know who you are but-"

"Forgive me! I am Hacen."

"Well Heysin…I don't like other people asking me about my personal life."

Hacen nodded understanding, "The one who I have chosen does not except my feelings. He says I am too old, even though I am stronger and more caring than anyone else in the Village."

Jack looked at the other man, at least trying to make it look like he was interested in what the he was talking about, "Well that's…rude."

"No…it is his will. He is the son of our leader and he will have whoever he wants. He must have a mate that he feels will protect him or provide him with offspring or both."

"Offspring? Two guys can have kids?"

Hacen frowned, "They can not in your world? Then you must have to mate with females…how horrible! No wonder you come to us through the circle of the gods."

The Colonel smiled weakly, "Well that wasn't why we really came but that is…interesting. We came to look for allies to fight the Goa'uld. Well allies or weapons, weapons being preferred, but allies are nice too."

"We have very little in the way of weapons. The Goa'uld leave us alone because of this. We are not a threat to them, nor do we have anything they wish to have."

Jack sighed, "I figured as much. So who is this guy you're in love with?"

"Do you not know? He is our prince!"

"You're in love with the guy that has Daniel?" Jack got to his feet, "That little bastard better not be touching him or-"

Hacen put a hand on Jack to still him, "There is nothing that can be done. I have tried many times to call my lord away from his prospective mates, but he no longer comes to my call."

"What? Your call? Was he your pet at one time?"

"No. I was his trainer when he was a child. I was 15 seasons at the time but my father was captain of the royal guard. Marr, being the prince and he needed someone to train him in the ways of defense. Someone that knew how to fight yet did not have the duties of an adult. He was only 5 seasons then, but he was strong and against his father's wishes he learned to use a bow and arrow. By the time I was 25 seasons and he was 15, we were deeply in love, and I told him that when he was 18 seasons I would be honored to be his mate."

Jack frowned, "Why didn't you just ask him?"

"It is not my place to ask my prince for his love. Even as a guard I was over stepping my bounds by telling him my feelings. Lords of the court are only able to do that."

Jack sighed, "So when he turned 18…?"

"His father had seen that we had much love for each other and he thought I was too far below his son, so he stripped me of my title and made one of the sons of the Lords, court him. At first he snuck out to see me every chance he got, until he met Orlan."

"Let me guess. This Orlan guy was about his age and had the best looks in town."

"Yes, and very rich. He lives in a township not far from here."

"So he's not into Marr any more?"

Hacen shook his head, "No. He is bonded with my brother. They have a daughter and another child on the way. It does not matter though, because Marr has all but forgotten me. Now he watches the circle of gods and throws himself at all who come through. He almost gave himself to a god, but his father said he would have to go live with him, if he were to do that. It is forbidden for our people to leave these lands."

"So is there any chance that Daniel might…," Jack waved his hand around looking for the right words, "I don't know… accidentally promise to marry that prince guy?"

The other man blinked at Jack, confused, "How can you promise yourself to another without knowing it?"

"Daniel's not the wisest when it comes to 'noticing the signs' if you get what I mean."

"He has done this before?" Hacen asked.

Jack nodded, "Yeah. At least a half a dozen times on some of the other worlds we've visited. The first planet we ever got to," Jack half smiled at the memory, "Daniel got himself married to the chief's daughter, but she was taken as a host for the…false gods. We had to kill her."

"How horrible! Did you not try to stop him? You love him."

"Where we come from, same sex relationships are frowned on, and the first time he got married off world, I was pretty upset with him…myself…I didn't really care about him then."

"You do now and you have not told him because of how they feel on your world? He... is not attracted to females…is he?" Hacen grimaced at the thought.

"He's…I don't know…" Jack said uncomfortably, "I think he might like…both."

"What about yourself?"

"I had a wife and a son once, but my son…died. He accidentally killed himself with one of my weapons. My wife left me after that."

Hacen sat down next to Jack, "You are like Danyel then? You are attracted to both sexes?"

"I guess…" he didn't want to tell the other man that he'd only had feelings for Daniel when it came to liking people of the same sex.

"You must find a way to know of Danyel's feelings for you, or you will suffer forever, over him."

Jack felt himself relaxing in the company of the other man, "How? I don't even know if he likes me! Even if he _did_ have feelings for me…"

"He must feel something. He glanced over his shoulder at you more times than I could count," he ducked his head down so his eyes met with Jack's. "If he saw you with another, do you think he would object and pull you from them?"

"If he thought I was out of my mind. Well, that's what he '_would' _have done, but now-"

Hacen smiled widely, "You say your planet is the opposite of mine? Might he think that you were hiding your true self? That, now you are here, you would be free to be who you have always wanted?"

"What if he doesn't buy it?"

"You will…," Hacen looked sad for a moment, before smiling, "You will pretend to miss me, when you return home. To keep it up would be…best."

"What about you?"

"The one whom I love, will never…" Hacen trailed off, before looking at Jack again, "If I can bring happiness to others, at least my life won't have been in vain."

"So how do…" Jack coughed, embarrassed, not sure if he could pull this off without making a fool of himself.

"Tonight, at the night meal, I will sit beside and close to you. This is a sign among our people that you have decided to test me, to see if I am worthy to be your mate. After eating, the Lords gather around a fire and talk, or make passion with their tests or their mates. You will listen to them speak, but your attention will be drawn to me, and you will subtlety try to make passion with me as well as talk, but you will not be able to. You shall stand and draw me up to you, excusing yourself."

"Make passion? You mean sex?" Jack squeaked out.

"What is…sex?" Hacen was confused.

"When two people…well," Jack made a weird motion with his hand blushing, "I would say make babies here but-"

Hacen laughed, "That is not making passion…That is…crystaling…or stalling…the act of making…children…" Hacen smiled at Jack, "To make passion is to touch…and press…"

"Kissing?" Jack looked down at the pillow he was sitting on.

"Kissing?"

"Pressing your lips to another person's or…some place…"

"Pressing, _is _what you call…kissing."

"I don't think I can do that," Jack whispered, looking over at the other man, scared.

Hacen leaned toward Jack and kissed his lips softly, "But you could… to your Danyel?"

Jack's face heated, "I uh…"

"Danyel must see you treat another…as you would him. He will ignore it otherwise," Hacen pressed another kiss to Jack's lips. When the he didn't respond Hacen sighed, "You must try with me first. To win your Danyel?"

Jack nodded, "Ok…but can I lead?"

"Of course," Hacen leaned back just out of Jack's personal space.

Sighing, Jack moved closer to the slightly younger man. He brought a hand up and touched the side of Hacen's face, and smiled when the other man actually blushed, "That ok?"

At the other man's quick nervous nod, he smiled again and bent forward putting his lips to the other mans. He was frozen at first, but the other man moved his lips slightly and something clicked. Sara had always told him, that he was a passionate kisser, and if the sounds the other man was making, were anything to go by…

Hacen pulled away, panting slightly, "You are talented-"

"Oh you haven't seen anything yet," Jack whispered. He brought his hands up and buried them in Hacen's medium length hair and pressed his tongue into his mouth. His tongue slid against the others, begging him to join in.

Uncertainly Hacen moved his tongue against Jack's, quickly melting at the sensation. When they parted for air he laid his head on the colonel's shoulder, "Where did you learn _that_?"

"When you're as old as I am, you forget where you picked up everything you've learned."

"You know more?" Hacen stared up at him and swallowed in eagerness, "Will you teach me more tonight? I fear if we continue, I might…," the silver-blue eyed man trailed off blushing. "I have never been kissed by someone so skilled."

Jack decided two things. One, he really was gay, or else he wouldn't be enjoying Hacen's reaction as much as he did. And two, if Daniel didn't fall for him, he'd ask Hacen to be his. He'd always said he might retire off-world, "Alright. You're not bad yourself. That Marr is an idiot for not wanting you."

"Your words are kind, Jack."

Brown eyes softened even more. Yeah, he could defiantly live with this man, "You deserve them."

Hacen smiled blushing more. After a moment of them sitting together, he got to his feet, "You must be dressed for tonight. Come! I will help you get ready."


	7. Chapter 7

I can tell that someone must be readingthis but I haven't got any reviews so I don't know how I'm doing. Tell me it's good...tell me it's bad...tell me something smiles Please? Thanks!

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Daniel sighed has he pulled at his Greek style toga. It was a beautiful shade of medium bright blue with copper trim. Daniel knew all it was, was just a long piece of cloth, but he looked stunning in it, even with his glasses still on.

He glanced over at Prince Marr was walking toward him, followed by two older men. He was wearing an emerald green, long loose shirt with an extra sheet of lighter green attached to the shirt at his left shoulder and went down to his waist at the right, and continued to drape down to his ankles. If it were not for the matching emerald pants he wore, Daniel would be able to see everything the prince had to offer and so would everyone else.

"Danyel! This is my father King Sonal and his Mate Rence. My beloved father, this is Danyel Jackson who has come through the circle of gods, with three others. They battle to stop the false gods."

The King was very old and his husband was as old as he or older. They both were wearing silver and gold clothes about their aged bodies, and the King wore a silver and gold, circular pedant around his neck, that had a diamond in the very center, "You are the first to come through the circle without a god, and only the second to have courage to say they are false with us," the King said as his golden eyes took in Daniel's form.

"He truly hates the false gods father, and has been hurt by them greatly, many times. Will you do us the honor of joining him and his companions this night at the meal?"

The King smiled weakly, "I am sorry my son, but I am far too old to stay awake so late in the evening. I am almost asleep on my feet where I stand. Tomorrow at mid-day meal, I will talk with Danyel and his companions."

Daniel saw that Marr was getting angry, so he quickly jumped in, "Good King Sonal, I look forward to speaking with you at tomorrow's mid-day meal. I am most grateful that you would find time to speak with my friends and me."

The king's mate smirked, his silver eyes glancing over at Marr, "You are a peace keeper, not a fighter. Why do you wish to stop the false gods if it is not your nature?"

"The false gods know nothing of peace, so to keep peace, they must be destroyed, Good Mate of the King."

Sonal smiled, "You are wise, yet you are young. I will enjoy meeting with you, but now I must rest." With that the King and his mate went on down the hall.

Marr turned to and watched them go, "You should not try to please him so. He is a fool."

Daniel was shocked, "Prince Marr, he's your father."

"He is controlling, and I do all that I can to ignore what he says I can do, and do what he says I can not. Come Danyel, the others will be waiting for us."

Once in the meal hall, Daniel took the seat that was right next to Marr, because the younger man had made him. The archeologist looked down the table and saw that Teal'c was seated on the left side with a man that 'looked' about his age, who was cuddling fondly with him, and the bigger man didn't seem to mind. If anything he looked like he was enjoying himself.

Sam was sitting with a bright red haired girl with teal eyes on the right side and looked more than happy. The red head was smiling at her, and whispering things in her ear while dishing different foods onto their plates. Sometimes she would take some food and hold up to Sam's mouth for her to eat, which the Major did with a smile.

At the very end of the table Jack was setting with a man, who seemed to be glued to his side and was constantly sliding a hand over Jack's abdomen affectionately. To Daniel's shock the Colonel seemed to be encouraging the touches, by leaning into the other man and whispering things.

Marr seemed to be notice that too, "Jack O'Neill, you are enjoying yourself so far?"

"Y-" Jack cleared his throat, "Yeah! Place is great. People are '_very'_ friendly. I think I've found a new place to retire."

Daniel felt something twist inside of him. However he saw the anger flashed in the prince's eyes and pushed his own feelings down, "Hacen! I will have a word with you after the meal, is that understood?"

The man's head snapped up, "My Lord?"

"Understood!"

The jealously in Marr's voice was easily heard. Daniel looked across at Jack again and he felt the same thing.

"Of course my Lord!" The man stilled his hand but did not remove it from Jack's waist.

The prince continued to glare at the other man and soon the hand was removed, and the man bowed his head shamefully.

Daniel noted that the rest of the meal was awkwardly silent and when Marr had finished eating, he got to his feet and walked angrily into a side room, leaving the door open.

'Hacen' whispered something to Jack, before standing and followed the prince into the room, closing the door.

"Teal'c? What just happened?" Jack asked watching the door with vexed eyes.

"It would seem the prince still feels for his Trainer, O'Neill. They were very much in love, until his father forbid them from seeing each other."

"The whole world seemed like it was covered in shadow when that happened, remember my Teal'c?" the man next to the Jaffa asked sadly.

"I remember," the woman said next to Major Carter. "We thought that the dark days would never end. Ones who live right next to the castle and next to Hacen's house say they still haven't."

An hour later, the door still hadn't opened and everyone was starting to worry. Jack moved to get up but the two natives told him he must not interfere.

"What if Hacen's being hurt?" he asked.

The woman next to Carter shook her head, "The prince will not kill him. I doubt he could even find it in himself to strike him."

As she finished speaking, the door opened and Hacen ran out of the meal hall and outside, Marr came out soon after calling his name.

"Danyel," Marr looked over at the man, still sitting at the head of the table where he had been left, "I am sorry but I can not test you any longer. My heart belongs to him. Do you understand?"

"Test me?" Realization dawned on the blue eyed man, "You were going to court me!"

"You did not know?" Marr was confused and shocked.

Daniel glared at him, "You never asked me!"

"I thought-"

"I believe the more time you spend talking to DanielJackson, the farther Hacen gets from you. If you are going to catch him, you must leave immediately," Teal'c said softly.

Marr nodded and with one last look at Daniel, jogged out of the hall.

The girl next to Carter smiled widely, "There will be a bonding ceremony at the end of this week. I am almost sure of it. Come Samantha. It is time for bed."

Teal'c's mate got to his feet and helped Teal'c to his, "You will come also, for it is been long over due for you to be in our bed."

Daniel frowned and rubbed his face, "Great. I don't know where I'm supposed to sleep."

Jack thought, "Uh…you can stay over at my place. Only one bed but I can sleep on the floor, in another room. I won't say a word to you."

For a moment Daniel glared at him angrily, but then he noticed how Jack looked upset and regretful and he softened a little, "I guess I have no other choice."

Jack nodded and led the way to the building where his rooms were. He didn't dare look at Daniel, because he knew it would set the other man off, and talking was out too, because he doubted the other man even wanted to be on the same planet as him.

Once inside he walked over to one of the closed off sections and pointed to Daniel and then through the doorway.

"You can tell me where everything is," Daniel mumbled. He just wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

"Bedroom. Bathroom is through there," he said pointing, still not meeting Daniel's eyes.

He walked into the bedroom and grabbed three of the pillows off the bed and brought them out into the entrance room, and set up a little place by a potted plant. Jack made sure the cushions were in the right positions before crawling onto them and curling up so he was facing away from Daniel.

Daniel watched him, his heart clinching in his chest, leaving an uneasy cold feeling behind, "Do you love him?"

"I could've been happy with him, but I don't love the guy," Jack mumbled.

Blue eyes rested on the older man's back, "I didn't know you were bisexual."

"Why? Are you bothered by it? Guess it doesn't matter though does it? You were bothered by me long before you knew this."

"Jack…" Daniel started his heart clinched again.

"Don't Daniel. I'm tired. I've already decided to retire…for good when we get back home. It's better that way. No one has to lie for me then."

The younger man's eyes widened, "Jack…you can't…"

Turning over Jack sighed, "What? 'Can't leave?' I can't stay either. The SGC isn't where I need to be anymore."

"Jack, being bisexual isn't wrong," Daniel tried, "You don't have to go."

"I need to get out of the program. I can't stay around where…" Jack sighed, "I need to move on."

"No you don't," he saw Jack flinch and he sighed, "I'm sorry."

"For what happened at my house? Don't be. It was my fault. I had dreams for me…and this old friend of mine."

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest, frowning and acting a little snarky, "Oh yeah?"

Jack nodded, "Yeah…See…I was going to tell him that I loved him…but I screwed that up too."

Daniel's mind stopped, trying to wrap itself around what Jack had just admitted.

"So I'm leaving. I can't stand be around the guy I'm in love with, because…he hates me. I can't live like that."

"You love…" Daniel stared at Jack's back, "Why didn't you say something?"

"To him? I can't. He's out there…I left him behind, because I loved him and I couldn't admit it to myself, let alone him. So I ran off. Now I've lost him for good."

Daniel was silently giving himself a hug, feeling like a jerk. Jack had been trying his best to say he was sorry, and he'd yelled at him. At the guy he loved.

"I deserve to loose him though. He doesn't need me around, screwing his life up. He probably would have been disgusted by me liking him any way."

Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat, "You don't know that."

"We were friends. That was it. He wouldn't wan to know I thought he made a hell of a lot hotter archeologist that Harrison Ford. Or that I actually enjoyed his meaning-of-life stuff sometimes."

Daniel moved over by Jack "You really mean that?"

Jack looked up into his eyes, "Yeah…And I'm going to miss you…" Jack whispered.

Daniel kneeled down next to the colonel, "Jack, you can't leave, because…"

"Don't try to make this any harder for me Daniel. Please? I just want to-"

"No!" the younger man snapped, "You can't leave, because I…can't go through the Stargate…without knowing you're going to be there."

"Why not? I thought I was ignoring you? Why would it matter if I was there or not?"

"Because, I don't think I would survive getting captured, by evil aliens, unless you were there to reassure me that we'd get out ok. Sometimes…you were all I had…" shyly Daniel bent down and kissed him on the lips.

Jack inhaled sharply, when Daniel kissed him, despite begin ready for it. He once again felt awkward like he had with Hacen, and didn't kiss back.

Daniel pulled away, "I shouldn't have-"

"No!" Jack propped himself up on his elbow as Daniel sat back, "I'm just not…used to kissing…guys…"

Daniel looked into the dark brown eyes of the man on his side, before him, "You want to tr-"

"Yes!" Jack said quickly, blushing at his eagerness, "But can I…start? I think it might help."

Daniel nods, and licks his lips subconsciously.

Jack smiles at action. Pushing himself up, he carefully reaches out and brushes his fingers along Daniel's neck, up over his chin and to his lips, giving them a light caress. Daniel presses his lips to the fingers as they pass, and Jack grins, and finally leans in. He started with licking at Daniel's pouting mouth, but soon stepped up to devouring as much of the man below him as he could before he had to come up for air.

"Daniel?" Jack asked in a quiet voice, "Ok?"

"Oh Gawd, yes Jack," he said breathily, before leaning in and kissing him again.

When they broke apart again Jack smiled and pressed his forehead against Daniel's, "I need to tell you something else."

"What?"

"Do you think you could get one of those hats and a whip like Harrison Ford had?"

Daniel laughed aloud and smacked his arm playfully, "Shut up and kiss me…Jonathan."

Jack mock glared at him, "Don't call me that, Spacemonkey."

"That's Dr. Spacemonkey to you, Colonel," Daniel whispered against his lips.

The older man moaned as Daniel started to kiss him again. He buried his hands in the linguist's short brown hair, "Say it again."

"Colonel! Daniel!" came Carter's shocked voice from behind them.

Daniel jumped at Carter's voice and fell into the Jack's chest, turning his head up to see his friend, "Uh…hi Sam," Daniel blushed.

"Carter! Why'd you have to go and ruin the moment, huh?"

"I'm sorry Sir, it's just that I never really expected you and Daniel to get together. I always thought you would go 'round and 'round with one another."

"'Round and 'Round?" Jack asked glancing at Daniel, "Carter…What have you been keeping from us?"

"Sam, you mean to tell us you've known the whole time we've liked each other and you never mentioned it?"

She shrugged, "I was just keeping it to myself like you each told me to."

"But we liked each other Carter!"

Daniel nodded, "There's a difference Sam. When you know that two people have a crush on one another, and they're scared to tell the other, you '_should'_ 'let the cat out of the bag'."

"I tried Daniel. I didn't come out and say it but, didn't you both think it was weird that I would talk to one of you and then the other so much?"

Jack frowned, and thinking back, found that it had been sort of weird that during the time he wasn't speaking to Daniel that Carter had become really close with the both of them, "Does that mean you really didn't want to come over and watch the game with me all those times?"

Daniel pulled back from Jack, glaring at him, "You wanted to spend time with her and not me and you liked me!"

"It's complicated," Jack whispered, looking away from Daniel.

"Well since you already know that he likes you, the Colonel had some 'dreams' about you starting a few months back and he got scared, thinking that if he ignored you they'd go away."

"And they didn't? Did?" the doctor tried.

"Didn't. Of course he'd also started noticing that you looked good in your blue BDUs, which you do by the way, and started sticking up for you whenever someone on base started making fun of you. By sticking up, I mean he was planning their untimely and painful deaths."

Jack was playing with the corner of the pillow, "I also kinda realized I'd been taking you out to dinner at some really nice places."

"I didn't realize it. I just thought you wanted to go somewhere different," Daniel smiled softly. "But I was impressed."

Jack leaned up to kiss Daniel, but paused when he heard a yell.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Hacen ran quickly into the room and got behind Jack, pushing Daniel away in the process. "He will not leave me alone! You must protect me!"

Daniel glared at Hacen, "You! Get away from Jack"

"Hacen! Stop running from me!" Marr said coming into the room. His green eyes started to burn a hole in Jack when he noticed the object of his affections was hidden behind the man he'd been making out with earlier, "I want him as my mate and I will have him."

"You just want him because he finally got over you and you couldn't accept it!"

Daniel turned on him, "Are you saying that you would rather have him than me? If you are, I swear to any god I can think of Jack, I'm going to-"

"I'm not saying that Daniel! I'm just saying this guy only wants him because he was with me. Hacen's had the hots for him ever since he was 25 and Marr over there was 15."

"How old are you guys now?" Carter asked.

Hacen blushed, "I am 40 seasons."

"Which makes Marr 30…15 years…I mean seasons and you just now…," Daniel trailed off, glancing at the older man hiding behind Jack.

"I have always loved Hacen! My father has wanted me to mate with him for the last 12 seasons, and because of that I have not!"

"You have ignored me because your father gave his permission!"

"My father is a controlling fool!"

"And you are a willful ass!" the blue/silver eyed man yelled at the prince.

Marr's eyes widened, "What did you call me?"

"An ass! I have longed for you for as far as I care to remember. I watched you be with others because your father did not approve of our love. I begged the true gods that your father would realize we were meant for each other and allow you to come choose me." Hacen glared at him and if Jack thought Daniel's eye were bad when he was angry, then this man's gaze could kill a group of people with a glance. "And now you say you would not be with me because…your father wanted it? How can I ever mate with you! I would rather die alone then wake up every morning next to someone who denied our love just to spite his father!"

Marr's eyes were brimming in tears, "Please…"

"You only loved me in the first place was because you were going against your father!" Hacen hissed out, getting to his feet, "Rot in hell Prince Marr."

"No…Hacen…That is not true!" the younger man whispered as his old Trainer walked past him.

Jack snorted, "Oh stop whinin'! It's your own damn fault!"

"Jack!" Daniel snapped at him.

"What? The little prick deserves it."

Marr nodded, "He is right Danyel. I deserve it…and much more. I must…ease my his pain…by ending my own."

Jack's eyes widened, "Now wait a minute-"

"No you are right Jack O'Neill. Hacen will never forgive me now. My death will be my remove me from his mind. He will no longer have to look upon the face of someone who would do to him such horrible things," he looked at Jack and Daniel, "I am only glad you were allowed to find your love, by my mistake." Marr moved slowly out of the room leaving the three alone.

"Well…we can't let this happen." Daniel sighed, moving to get up, "If he kills himself we might not ever get off this planet."

"Why not? I say we grab Teal'c and make a run for it," Jack voted.

"We could Sir, but these people are friendly, and they would be good allies to help us fight against the Goa'uld, especially if they let us make a base camp here."

Daniel looked pointedly at Jack, "_You're_ going to have to go talk to Hacen and get him to forgive Marr."

"Why me!"

"Because he trusts you," Daniel said tightly. "He'll listen to what you have to say."

Jack grimaced, knowing it was true, "Can't we just…leave and send another SG team back? I bet ol' Marr'll chicken out any way."

"Jack King likes me. We're not going to screw up our ties with this planet if we can help it. Beside for all we know, if he did kill himself one of us would be made to be the prince in his place."

"And that's a bad thing?" Jack asked.

"We'd have to stay here forever!"

Jack looked around, "And that's a bad thing?"

"Sir! We don't have time for this. Daniel and I will go and try to stop the prince from doing anything drastic. You go and find Hacen."

"Fine! I'll see what I can do," Jack said getting to his feet, and then helping Daniel up, "But you know what happened last time you sent me to consol someone!"


	8. Chapter 8

After asking a few people that were wandering the around the streets, Jack managed found Hacen's house, which turned out to be clear on the other side of the village.

The man's home was much like its owner. Warm and inviting. He knocked on the heavy wooden door and waited.

Hacen's face appeared in the small window cut into the door, "Jack?"

"The one and only. Can I come in?"

"Of course," the other man quickly opened the door, moving aside to let Jack pass.

The inside was just like the outside, with a large fireplace made of smooth light colored stone, and roughly made chairs that still managed to look comfortable at the same time, on a large fur rug set before a roaring fire. The Kitchen area had herbs hanging from hooks and on small smooth stone table, a worn leather bag was tipped over and some of it's contains spilled over the surface.

There was a thud from the back of the house, causing Jack to look up. Hacen had left the room, without saying anything, so Jack followed his ears into a small bedroom, where he found the ex-trainer filling a bag with clothes that had been piled on a sturdy log-framed bed.

From the first glance the 40 year old man seemed to be angry, but Jack was a Pro at going past the first look (he was in love with Daniel for crying out loud!) and it was easy to see that Hacen was miserable. Now all the Colonel had to do was figure out how to get him to go back to the prince.

"You leavin'?"

Hacen looked up and nodded, "The prince will have banished me by sunrise any way. As I said before…no one refuses the love of the prince. Even if he does not banish me…the people of this village will no longer speak or trade with me."

"Look, Hacen. The first thing you gotta know about love…is that it's not always easy. You have to forgive and be patient sometimes."

The trainer shook his head, "You are correct," he said, folding some more of his clothes and putting them in a pack, "but this is not love. It was…obsession. I should have left long ago, when Marr first denied me."

"No you shouldn't have," Jack grabbed a garment out of the man's hands, "You did the right thing. You waited for him to come to his senses and he has! Everyone wins!"

"No… I will go to another village and find my _true_ mate, and Marr will-" Hacen looked unsure for a brief moment before smiling weakly, "Marr will find another lover. He has easily before."

Jack sighed, "No! I'm not happy for you. You waited all this time for him, and now that he finally wants you…you're doing the same thing to him that he did to you! Even though Marr's a stuck up, no good-" he stopped when he saw Hacen was frowning, "_guy_ that doesn't deserve it, I really think you should give these whole thing between you another chance. He '_really_' likes you."

"He would not be with me to spite his father! How is that love!"

"I didn't say it was mature love," Jack awkwardly put his hand on Hacen's shoulder, "But it _is_ love. Believe me…because I've been doing the same thing to Daniel…and I don't know what I would have done…if he-" Jack swallowed, "If he hadn't forgiving me for being such a jerk."

"You…?" Hacen frowned, "But you would not hurt him…you love him."

"God damn it! Yes I love Daniel! I'd probably die without him, but that doesn't mean I don't hurt him. I don't mean to sometimes, sometimes I just want to make him jealous or shut him up! But I do hurt him Hacen! And he forgives me…because he _loves_ me too," Jack relaxed a little, "Marr is going to kill himself. I came here to get you, so you could stop him. Even though I think the guy's a '_complete_' ass and you deserve better, it's not up to me to decide. That's your job, and last time I checked, you might be mad at him, but you don't want him dead."

"Marr would not do such a thing!"

Jack just raised both his eyebrows, "Oh really? Well I guess I misunderstood him with he said he had to 'ease your pain as well as his own."

"He said…" Hacen looked conflicted between wanting to believe him, and wanting it to be a lie.

"After you left he said he was going to kill himself because he upset you and it would make you feel better if you didn't have to ever look at him again."

Hacen turned his head away, "There is a story…of a pair who loved each other very much, but one lost his memory of the other, and grew to hate them. In desperation, the one that still remembered their love…took their life, to please and release the other from the pain they caused them. The other…" he looked pained and wouldn't finish the story.

"Carter and Daniel went off to stop him," Jack quietly whispered to him, "and I was sent here to get you. You helped me with Daniel…it's only far that I try to help you with Marr."

Looking up into Jack's eyes, the man nodded, "Thank you, but you must promise me something."

Jack looked reluctant, "What?"

"That if we cannot save him…that I might go with you, back to your world and live with you and Danyel at your home."

"WHAT!" the colonel stared at him. That wasn't like him at all, even though he'd only known the guy a few hours. Jack searched Hacen's grey/blue eyes, trying to figure out what he was up to.

"It is forbidden for any of our people to leave through the circle of the gods, unless a god takes you, but I…I wish to stay with you and Daniel…Not as a lover!" he said quickly, "But…I will die here, if you leave me behind. I will either be killed outright or starved."

Jack thought about it for a few seconds, "You're sure you want to? I mean…It'll be harder to…be accepted where we're from, and I'm not sure that my boss will understand."

Hacen frowned, "Your…boss? I do not…is that what you now call your Danyel?"

Jack chuckled, "Not yet…look…Let's go find Daniel and Carter…and hopefully they've found Marr."

"He would be in the Clar'shell….It is a building where we have Rites and Bondings…and also keep ceremonial…weapons…"

Jack nodded, "Right…" He gave a half bow and motioned to the door, "Shall we?"

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"Daniel…I think we're lost," Carter looked around, frowning at a side street.

"No…the man said that he saw the prince headed this way. We just have to find…which way 'this way'_ is_."

Carter sighed, "What if he lied to us?"

"I don't think so…" Daniel trailed off, looking toward a large building that, for some reason, reminded him of a church.

"The prince went into the Clar'shell," it was the red headed woman that had been with Sam. "I was on my way there myself…but…only one maybe at the wall…at a time…He was my prince…so…I can wait for his time to pass."

Carter frowned, "The wall?"

"It is the place of…release. Marr must have been denied," the woman met eyes with Sam who looked appalled.

"Ces! I didn't-"

"Place of release? You mean he's going there to kill himself?"

"Yes. Mostly it is done by ones that have had their lover Pass…but…sometimes…"

Daniel nodded to her, "Thank you." He started off toward the building but he didn't hear Sam behind him, "Sam?" he turned to see her staring at the woman.

"You can't-"

"Sam," Daniel called, "She's not going to do anything right now. Come on."

She nodded and turned away jogging over to Daniel, "Right."

He nodded and they both took headed toward the building. The large doors were ajar and the torches in the halls were lit. Daniel looked at all the doors, lining the way, "Ok…Which one?"

There was a noise from farther on down the hall. Sam nodded down the hall towards the noise and the followed their ears down to a T intersection. Three doors down, there was an orange glow from one of the rooms, and a flicker of a shadow moving around inside.

Daniel hurried down to the doorway and came into the room, "Prince Marr?"

The man in question, looked up from a wall covered in blades, "Danyel…you should not be here."

"Well, then neither should you…" Daniel moved farther inside, letting Sam have clear entry. He looked around the room and saw a long cream colored, patterned stone altar on the other side of the room. It seemed like it was made for someone to lay down in it and then cut their wrists, throat or whatever suited them and let the blood run down through the pattern cut into the stone.

"I must be here," Marr reached up and ran a hand along the handle of a sky blue bladed knife, "Hacen…needs to be comforted…"

"Getting rid of the man he loves is comforting?" Daniel moved so he was standing just behind the prince, "Your death will cause him more pain."

"I suppose this is not the way of things on your planet?" Marr looked over his shoulder and gave him a wary smile.

"Think about what you're doing, if not for Hacen, for your people. Your father only has you, to rule after he's gone. Who's going to be king, if you're not here?" Carter glanced at Daniel to be sure she'd said something that might help him.

"My cousin would…" he trailed off looking unsure. He shook his head, "That does not matter to me…Hacen needs me to-"

"No…he needs you to be patient. Love is about waiting sometimes."

"I have Danyel and I have mad him wait," Marr's finger tips brushed under a sharp silver dragger, with a blade that looked like flames.

"You need to try talking to Hacen again. You're giving up too easily!"

Carter sighed watching the prince. Daniel was getting no where and Jack was taking way too long, "He loves you Prince Marr. He just needs to be reminded. You don't wait around for someone as long as he did, if you don't love them."

"Samantha…do you not understand what I have done to him? I let him watch me be with others, I let him think I did not care for him any more…I denied our love even after my father gave me…I also have been foolish to think I could take you from your chosen Danyel," his hand trembled as he touched a knife with gems that were silver/blue in color set in the handle. "Do you not see that I almost made you unhappy as well? I did not even realize you were unaware of my testing."

"Jack understands," Daniel put a hand on his shoulder. "You weren't the first person to ever want to me…like that."

Marr turned to look at him, "Jack…let you…be with other men? While he was watching?"

"Well…uh no…mostly it's been women that have been… The point is there have been others and he forgave me…and them. Jack always complains about having to save me from 'getting married again', but he doesn't mind."

"He enjoys being your hero?"

Daniel blushed, "Yeah. I guess you could say that."

"Hacen would never want to save me like your Jack does."

"He would. You've just never wanted him to," Daniel said softly.

Marr looked into Daniel's blue eyes, "I _have_…but he never…"

"You wanted him to? When?"

Marr nodded, "I wanted him to…tell me to stop…to make me mate with him, but he…he let me do as I please…so I kept…"

"My Prince," Hacen's said as he came into the room, with a very worried but angry look on his face. "Is that true? Not because of your father, but because you wanted me to make you be mine?"

Jack hung around in the doorway and waved at Daniel, who sighed in relief.

"When you were my trainer you told me what I was to do, but when I was titled, you stopped…No one has ever cared enough about me to stop me…not even my father would…"

Hacen glared at him, "It is forbidden for me to make such demands on you! You are the prince! I cannot order you around like you are beneath my position."

"Not even to save my life!" Marr's eyes filled with tears, "I went out of my way to get someone to stop me! I had to almost marry myself to a false god to do it! No one CARED!"

"My prince," Hacen stood beside Daniel, shocked. "I…"

Daniel looked over at Jack who had caught his eye. The older man was grinning…and it looked wicked.

"Hacen…Jack…would like to talk to you for a moment…I think," Daniel went over to stand next to Marr, "I'll stay with him ok?"

The graying man nodded and went over to Jack, who motioned with his head out into the hall.

Marr looked at Daniel, tears now running down his cheeks, "What is he doing?"

"I think he's telling Hacen something that he needs to know…" Daniel smiled.

I few moments later both Jack and Hacen came back in. Hacen looked at Jack worriedly, but he nodded over toward Marr.

Hacen nodded and walked over to where Marr and Daniel were standing, "Marr…come home with me right now."

Marr glared at him, but stopped crying, "No…"

"Now!" Hacen snapped, "If you don't…I will leave with Jack and Danyel and never come back."

"I am going to give release to you!" Marr cried out, "You do not have to leave!"

Hace looked him in the eye, "I do not want release…I want you."

Frowned, "I would kill myself for you and you-"

Hacen frowned and grabbed Marr by the arm and pulled him over to the other side of the room, to the altar. He sat up on the top and yanked Marr over and forcefully put him over his knee, "Marr, you may be my prince…but I will punish you if I have to…"

"Let me go!" Marr thrashed about and kicked his feet, beating on Hacen's leg with his fists.

The older man looked over at Jack while keeping a firm hold on the younger man.

Daniel turned to Jack and saw him nod back at Hacen.

"I'm sorry my prince…" he pulled at Marr's clothes and soon his bare bottom was out for all to see, causing the young man to start screaming even more.

Swallowing Hacen raised his hand up and smacked it down hard on the prince's bottom, leaving a red hand print.

"Ahhh!"

Carter turned to look at Jack who raised his head slightly as Hacen's hand dropped down again with a resounding slap.

"Stop!"

"I warned you," Hacen muttered, smacking is bottom again.

Daniel watched and swallowed hard, looking from the scene in front of him, to Jack who looked relaxed, to Carter who was blushing and back again. This isn't what he hand thought Jack was going to tell Hacen to do…

"I am sorry!"

The cry from the prince rang out, silencing everything. Hacen looked down at the man over his lap, "For what?"

"For…"

Hacen's hand dropped down onto the fiery red bottom again, making the prince cry out in pain.

"D-d-denying us…and f-f-for lying…"

The older man's hand dropped again several times in quick succession, "And?"

"F-f-f-for yelling at y-you…"

He smacked him again, harder than he had before, "And!"

"P-p-p-please! I am s-s-sorry!"

Hacen looked up at Jack.

"If you think he means it…make him promise to never do it again," Jack whispered.

"Promise never to do these things again…"

"I promise! I am sorry!"

The older man released his hold on him and carefully covered Marr, while holding him to his chest, "I am so sorry my prince…Please forgive me…but I love you…and I can not let you keep on…as you have been."

Marr snuggled into his neck, sobbing quietly.

"Sir?" Sam looked over at Jack who was smiling.

"Don't worry about that Carter…It's just something I learned from a long time ago. I've thought about doing it to Daniel sometimes," he looked over that the linguist but got a heated glare. "Or not?"

The prince pulled his face out of Hacen's neck and swallowed, "I _am _sorry."

"I know," Hacen smiled and leaned down, kissing the green eyed man. Marr moaned in surprised pleasure and pressed himself up against his Trainer, wrapping his arms around his neck.

When they pulled apart, Hacen rested his forehead against Marr's, "Am I forgiven?"

Marr nodded and he pushed himself to the older man kissing him passionately, making mewling, whimpering noises.

Daniel turned and looked at Jack and Sam, "Well I think we should leave them alone…"

"Right!" Jack hurried out of the room closely followed by the other two


	9. Chapter 9

Sam, Jack and Daniel stood outside the Clar'shell in the night air, staring up at the stars that dotted the night sky. Finally Major Carter smiled and yawned, "Sir, I think I'm going to back to my place."

"Hot date Major?" Jack asked smirking.

Her face fell, "No Sir. After I told Ces that I wouldn't be able to stay on this planet, she got mad and left. No one bothered to come in after her so I'm guessing she told everyone I wasn't worth it. Night Colonel, Daniel."

"Night Sam," Daniel called after her, frowning slightly.

Jack saw the look on his face, "Something happen?"

"I think she might have accidentally said something to 'Ces' to make her feel like Marr did."

The colonel turned toward him, "Carter upset her girlfriend?"

"Yeah…she was the one that told us where the prince was. Sam seemed really upset when she found out…"

A sly grin spread out on Jack's face, "Well, maybe she picked something up from Hacen that will fix the problem."

"Jack! Really? A spanking? That was risky even for you!" Daniel smiled at him though.

"Yeah…but it worked," Jack leaned down and kissed Daniel. He cupped the younger man's cheek and pulled away, "Bed time."

"I suppose you want to sleep in the same bed as me?"

"Well, Dr. Spacemonkey, if you remember correctly, you're bunking with me any way…and I happen to be very good at sharing a bed with hot blue eye linguists."

"How many other hot blue eyed linguist have you slept with Jack?" Daniel rubbed his noses against Jack's.

"I was hoping you'd be the first…and only one…"

"Nice save," Daniel smiled against Jack's cheek and kissed him. He reached down and took Jack's hand leading them back toward the building they were staying in. "Jack?"

"Hmm?

The younger man sighed, "How did you talk Hacen into coming back with you?"

Jack blushed, "Uh…well you see…Daniel some things are better left unknown."

"Jaaack!"

"I told him he could come back to Earth with us…and I kinda promised he could stay at my place if Marr wouldn't take him back," Jack looked nervously at the side of Daniel's face.

"Live with you? And where was I supposed to fit into all this?"

"Uh…there with us? He just wanted me to be the person to watch over him…He said he was leaving the sex stuff up to us."

"General Hammond would never have let you keep him at your house! You're not there enough to watch over him!"

"I know…but…I didn't see the problem with him staying with us if Hammond would have-"

Daniel stopped dead in his tracks, "What!"

"See I knew you would get mad."

"Jack! That was the man that you were making out with a few hours ago! He would not be allowed on our house!"

"Danny," Jack tried appealing to another side of Daniel, "you said to get him there. You didn't say how."

"Well bribing him with a home and sex wasn't what I had in mind! What if we would've lost our jobs over him!"

"Retire off-world?"

Daniel's anger burned in his eyes, "Seriously Jack! You just found out that I like you, and you were willing to throw it all away?"

"Throw it all away! Daniel he was only going to live in my house!"

"How do you know that! What if he was going to try to seduce you away from me?"

Jack calmly looked at Daniel, "Wouldn't have happened. I only love you Daniel…you know that. Why waste my time with other people when I have you?"

Daniel went into a self hug, "I don't know that. I don't want to loose you again…Not to someone else. Not when you just figured out that I loved you too."

Jack lowered his head, "I've kinda known that for…a long time, or I thought I did, but you tend to look at…a lot of people like you want them. People have fallen for you…and you didn't really want them…I've seen you upset over it…and I didn't want to just be another one of those…"

Daniel frowned, "I didn't think you noticed that."

"Well…I did and I've had a lot of time to think about it. You didn't need someone else declaring their love for you when you didn't want it."

"But I wanted you….I guess I should have said something."

Jack took Daniel's head in his hands, "I'm old, Daniel, I have bad knees and I'm cranky if I don't wake up on my own after sex. Are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life with me? Because if you aren't…we shouldn't do this. I'm too old for this stuff."

"I'm sure," Daniel whispered forcefully, "But do you want a cranky, coffee addicted linguist sharing your bed at odd hours of the night?"

"Daniel-" Jack started, looking deeply into the younger man's cerulean eyes, smiling warmly, "I've wanted that ever since I met you."

The colonel kissed him softly on the lips, before sucking on his bottom lip meaningfully. He pulled away holding the sides of Daniel's head in his callused hands, looking into hooded eyes, "God I love you."

Daniel smiled, "Yeah…backatcha…"

Jack silenced him with another kiss, pulled Daniel off toward their rooms.


	10. Chapter 10

Jack cracked his eyes open and found that he was looking at the sleeping face of one Daniel Jackson. He smiled, finding himself drawn to the area where Daniel's eyelashes rested against his cheeks. From there they traveled down along his neck to his naked shoulders, and down the linguist's arms to his chest. He'd never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life.

"O'Neill? DanielJackson?" Teal'c's voice called from the other room.

Jack bolted up-right into a sitting position, grabbing a handful of sheets and hastily throwing them over himself and Daniel.

"Uh yeah?" Jack yelled back glancing at, a now moaning, Daniel who was burying his face deeper into some pillows around his head.

The Jaffa came into the room and smiled when he saw Jack blushing and Daniel burrowing, "The first meal of the day is being served in the Royal Hall. MajorCarter requested I retrieve you."

"We'll be there in a minute or two…or three," Jack said uncomfortably.

Teal'c looked at the partially buried linguist, then back to Jack. He smiled slightly and bowed his head at the older man, "You have completed the second step of the bonding ritual with DanielJackson. You now need only to complete the final step and you will be together forever in holy union."

Jack frowned, squinting up at Teal'c, "What?"

"The bonding ceremony of this planet has three steps. The first is courting, which I have observed you doing for many years with DanielJackson, O'Neill. The second is sexual intercourse, and the third is a public ceremony. I am sure you will be asked to participate in the one held by PrinceMarr and TrainerHacen, since it was because of you they are together."

"Whatever," Jack said shaking his head, trying to clear it, "Do you think you could leave so we could get up?"

"I have seen you and DanielJackson naked many times O'Neill."

"Well now is different! Daniel will be all embarrassed if he wakes up and you're in here and he sees you…seeing us…in bed together. You now how he is with personal stuff…l"

Teal'c thought about his past experiences with Daniel, before bowing slightly, "I believe you are correct. I will inform MajorCarter that you will be along shortly."

Jack sighed in relief as the Jaffa left. He looked back over at Daniel, who had buried himself in the pillows up to his shoulders, "Danny?" Jack asked quietly rubbing the young man's broad back with a single hand, "Wake up. It's time for breakfast."

"Just a second, General. I'm almost done with the translation…just five more minutes," Daniel mumbled.

Jack smirked wickedly, shaking his head. He leaned down removing pillows until he uncovered one of Daniel's ears. He gently took the lobe into his mouth, nibbling on it.

"Oh gawd…" the anthropologist moaned into the bed, "Not now Jack…in a briefing…"

If his young lover wouldn't have been laying on his stomach he would have been delighted to add more onto that dream. Instead he decided to play a different type of dirty, "Dr. J! We just received some images back from P4X-493! It looks like there's a 50ft long wall covered in the writings of the ancients! There even seems to be a city in the distance!" He said in what he hoped was a disguised voice, of an egger coworker.

Daniel's head shot up, "Where! Do you see my glasses! Show me the images!"

"Easy there Daniel!" Jack said grabbing his linguist's shoulders, "It's just time for breakfast."

"But," he frowned confused for a moment before a look of realization flooded into his eyes, "Jack! That wasn't funny…" He stuck his tongue into the side of his cheek, glaring as best he could without his glasses to help him focus his eyesight.

Jack loved that look on Daniel. It meant he was being thoughtful and not always in a good way. Revenge thoughtful more like it, "I know, but you were calling me 'General'. Something had to be done, because everyone knows I'll never become a General," Jack said as he cupped Daniel's cheek with one hand and kissed him soundly on the lips. "I'd have to sit at a _desk _and…do _paperwork_. Court-martialed maybe, but General O'Neill? I just don't see it happening."

"I didn't!" Daniel blushed, "Did I?"

"Oh yeah… So then I tried nibbling on your ear and then you told me I couldn't because we were in a briefing…A General that nibbles on a civilian's ear while in a briefing!"

"Gawd!" Daniel blushed even more, "Please Jack don't ever try that in real life! The nibbling on my ear in a briefing part, not the General…part."

Jack smirked, "I'll think about it…"

"Jack!"

"Oh come on Daniel," Jack said crawling up over so he was straddling him, "You can't honesty tell me you haven't daydreamed about it while Carter was gabbing about one of her 'discoveries'." He leaned in and nibbled on the younger man's soft lobe again.

Blue eyes closed in bliss, his breath coming in pants, "No…actually…"

"What do you think about?" the colonel asked, pressing a kiss, just behind Daniel's ear, then one on the side of his jaw, and on down his neck.

"Kissing you….mmm….like this," Daniel started to writhe under him, trying to get some contact with the other man's skin, "Jack!"

"Hmm?" the older man hummed as he wetly kissed Daniel's right nipple. He pulled back slightly to blow on it, causing it to harden more then it already was from arousal.

"Touch…more…" the linguist arched up, his hands reaching out to pull the older man closer.

The colonel's hands snaked down between the two of them and stroked Daniel's shaft, causing the young man to gasp, "Like?"

Daniel nodded, his body quaking at the sensation. How long had he dreamed about doing _this_ with Jack?

Smiling playfully, Jack slid down Daniel's stomach, nipping and kissing. He glanced up a second before lowering his head to get give his lover's cock an experimental lick.

"Oh Gawd!" Too long.

"Sir? Daniel? Are you alright?" Sam called from the next room. "Teal'c said you were on your way but I just wanted to make sure-" she came into the bedroom and stopped dead when she saw her adopted little brother panting and sweaty, and a large lump in the bed sheets, just about where-, "Oh God!" She darted out of the room, "I'm sorry! I didn't know-"

"Carter!" Jack bellowed. He cleared his throat, trying not to sound husky and aroused. That was the second time in less then 24 hours. She'd better hope that was the last time too, "Get out! We'll be there…soon…"

"How soon is 'soon' Sir?" She asked. By the sound of her voice, that on some sick level, she was enjoying their discomfort greatly and probably the peek show too.

Daniel grabbed a pillow, burying his face in it, "Oh Gawd!"

"Carter! Just go!"

"Going Sir! Have fun Daniel!"

"Sam!" Daniel yelled into the pillow embarrassed.

Jack sighed as he heard her run out of their rooms, laughing, "She just had to go and ruin the moment…again! Guess we'll have to finish this later."

Two panicked blue orbs stared down at Jack, from under the pillow, begged him to have mercy and not leave him like _this_.

"I'm not _that_ cruel, Danny. I only meant that I have to wait… "

Daniel panted shallowly, his body relaxing as much as it was able. He closed his eyes and then covered his head again, "Never been so embarrassed!"

"At least you weren't awake when Teal'c was in here."

"Was-"

"Yep."

Daniel looked out from under the pillow, "Saw us-"

"I'd just woken up. I got us…undercover."

"Never leaving this room!"

Jack took this moment while his lover was off-guard and lowered his head again, only this time he took Daniel into his mouth.

"Ahh! Jahhck!" he pulled the pillow from his face to so he could breathe properly.

Chuckling, Jack continued his job. After all, he was hungry, and Daniel, as tasty as he was, wasn't going to sate his hungers, either of them, any time soon. At least not with _Carter_ around.


	11. Chapter 11

Twenty minutes later Jack led a clean, and newly dressed Daniel into the place where they'd eaten the night before. Sometime in the early morning, someone had left two sets of clothes in their bathroom, and had taken their old ones away. Now both of them were dressed comfortably in silk like pants and wraparound tops. Daniel's were a marbled cream and Jack's were a marbled grey.

"Good morning Campers! How was your night?" Jack asked happily, as he led Daniel around to the spot he'd sat at the night before. He tried to get Daniel to sit in his lap but he was quickly shot down with a look from the younger man that said, 'If you ask me to sit on your lap, I'm not sleeping with you for the next 6 months.'

"It was most enjoyable," Teal'c said smiling at the man who was almost asleep at his side.

Sam however, didn't look as happy about her night, "How was your night Daniel?" she asked, after taking a drink of juice.

"Uh…Good…" he said blushing.

Jack glanced over at him, "Just good?"

Daniel glared at him before turning back to Sam, "Where are Marr and Hacen?"

"Someone came down a few minutes before you two got here and told us that they'd be a little late," she smiled, and blushed lightly, "Apparently they didn't get here until early this morning."

"Then why weren't _we_ aloud to be a little late?" Jack asked, sliding a hand into the small of Daniel's back. "I mean…we were the cause of that…we deserve to sleep in."

The younger man looked uncomfortable for the first few moments, but then reluctantly relaxed into Jack's touch, "Maybe because we want to make a good impression," he said some how managing to look up at Jack from under his eyelashes, even though they were about the same height when they were sitting.

"MajorCarter and myself believed it would be harder to remove you from your bed, if allowed to sleep in, O'Neill," Teal'c was smiling.

Daniel quickly started eating to avoid any looks or questions that might be sent his way from Sam. He just knew she was laughing her ass off, especially after she'd seen them earlier.

"Well damn. I've been found out," Jack mumbled in a mock angry tone, pressing a small kiss to the linguist's temple.

"It's no wonder," Daniel mumbled, his face burning. "You're not trying to hide anything."

"_We're_ not trying to hide anything Daniel," Jack corrected, reaching for something that he hoped was a fruit. A 'normal' fruit, if he had any luck to spare. Getting the man he'd been after for so long was more luck then he was used to, "At least not here. We don't need to. Teal'c's ok with it. Carter's ok with it-"

Sam mumbled something that sounded strangely like, "Carter is _enjoying_ it," but Daniel couldn't be sure.

"-and I'm _more_ then ok with it. A lot more then ok…So what's there to worry about?"

"Going home," Daniel whispered, looking down at his plate.

"Going home is not going to change a thing. I won't let it. If it bothers you so much I can retire-"

"You can't retire!

"

Sam was sure she was witnessing their first fight. If she'd only seen them last night, "Sir, he's right. Thor likes you the best, and many of our other allies feel they can depend on you. If you leave the SCG, we might mess up and lose a lot of what we've worked for."

"I believe MajorCarter is right. The process of training a new team member is a most difficult, and unpleasant experience I do not wish to go through," Teal'c said looking disgusted at the thought.

Jack had to agree with them, even if he didn't like to, "I'll… think of something!"

"What if Hammond finds out?" Daniel asked worriedly. "I know he probably wouldn't care but we can't expect him to lie for us…"

"Daniel you know as well as I do that if it was for the good of the SGC, Hammond would let us get away with mass murder, and not mention a word of it," Jack said, "And trust me, our relationship is for the good of the SGC. I get damn cranky if I haven't had s-"

"Sir!" Carter stared in shock at her commanding officer.

"What! It's true!"

Daniel glanced over at Jack frowning, "Then who was keeping you in a good mood before me?"

"Uh…" Jack opened and closed his mouth several times, before settling on an answer he hoped would be good enough for Daniel, "No one! I was always in a bad mood."

"No you weren't," the younger man countered, looking madder by the second, "Who were you with!"

"For you information, my right hand!" Jack snarled, "And a picture of you!"

"Really?" Daniel blushed, looking surprised but pleased.

"Sir, I really didn't need to know that."

Jack looked up, "Uh…sorry about that Major. You can pretend I didn't say it."

Teal'c looked at his team mates with a raised eyebrow, but chose to say nothing.

"You really were thinking about me when you…" Daniel whispered, glancing at Jack's lower regions, giving him a wary little grin.

Jack grinned and leaned in close enough to kiss the younger man's nose, "Yes. Sometimes right in the SGC locker room before a mission. I can show you how it's done sometime if you like…"

"Jaaack!"


	12. Chapter 12

An hour later Prince Marr entered the hall holding hands with Hacen. They took their seats at the head of the table and as soon as they were settled Marr started dishing food onto both their plates.

"We trust that you all had a most enjoyable night?" Hacen asked as Marr poured wine into their cups.

"Indeed," Teal'c said, hint of a smile on his lips.

Marr looked down to the very end of the table, "Danyel? Have you and your chosen completed the 2nd step in the bonding rite?"

Daniel blushed a deep and beautiful (as far as Jack was concerned) shade of red, "I-I guess."

"That would most definitely be a 'Yes! And Oh GOD was it good!'," Jack answered for him.

"Jack!" the young linguist yelled, "Would you stop that!"

"Never. Besides, they'd just asked us separately until we spilled any way."

Hacen looked at Marr who nodded. He then spoke, "Then we would ask that you complete the third and final step of you bond during our own ceremony tomorrow. It is our custom that friends of the royalty bond when they do, if chance provides."

"Yes. It would also be another tie of friendship we could share between our two worlds," Marr looked back at Hacen, "And it is the least we can do to repay you…"

Daniel glanced over at Jack, "Uh, we appreciate the offer, don't get us wrong, but in our culture, as you know, same sex couples are frowned upon. We don't plan to tell anyone what's happened between us. Right Jack?"

"No one that doesn't already know there's chemistry between us, of course. Well at least not until we're both retired," the older man said looking at Daniel hopefully.

"Retired? Both of us?"

"We'll talk about that later. The point is, if we did agree to go through this…ceremony with you, you wouldn't be able to mention it to anyone back on our planet."

Marr frowned, "Your planet would seek our aid yet frown upon our culture? If we were in need of your help, would you come to us?"

"Of course! Other planet's cultures are all their own and we don't judge that...much…but because we're from '_our'_ planet, it's different for us. Do you understand?" Daniel tried explaining.

Hacen nodded, laying a hand on Marr's thigh, "It is their way Marr. If they have lived so long this way, and advanced to this level, that is all that matters. We have no right to judge them."

Marr looked like he wanted to protest, but Hacen gave him a stern look, and whatever protest he had had, died, "Very well…We will speak of the ceremony to no one on your planet, save the ones that are present."

Jack smirked, "Great! So I guess this means we get to start sharing technology and stuff?"

"We're supposed to meet with Marr's father at lunch Jack, to discuss relations, but I think we've already become their friends," Daniel smiled to the men on the other end of the table.

"My father does not feel well today, Danyel," Marr looked down at the table, "I fear he grows very ill, and will not be able to meet with you any time soon. He said I was to make the treaty with you."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Daniel whispered.

"So am I," Marr said, glancing at Hacen, "It seems I came to my senses just in time."

"Why?" Sam asked out of no where, "Wouldn't you have just taken the crown anyway?"

"No. It would have gone to my mated cousin, Kara. She is beautiful, but her head is… empty, as is her mate's."

Hacen smiled weakly, "She would not be able to rule."

When no one said anything to this, the two later comers dug into their food, and ate leaving everyone else present to have some time to think.

Daniel, was of course, thinking how best to word the treaty that would be needed between the two worlds, as well as trying to come up with a mental list of items they could use for an even trade, if any technology or items were worth it.

Carter used the free time to think about generators, minerals, and gate technology and also about her father, who was suppose to be coming to the SGC soon, to update everyone on the latest System Lord gossip. A certain red hair, that she didn't seem to be able to find, also floated around in her thoughts, but there wasn't much she could do about that.

Teal'c mediated, because he hadn't had the chance to the night before, and junior was more then ready for his nap.

The Colonel however, was thinking about possible threats, as always. Namely the one that was called a ceremony, "Uh…Sorry to interrupt folks, but…about this ceremony thing…"

Marr smiled and finished the last of the food on his plate before answering, "After we have finished eating, we will take you to look for your holy mark's design and then for your holy union gifts to each other."

"Uh…" Jack said frowning, looking to Daniel.

"He wants to know what the ceremony involves and how it is preformed," the younger man clarified. "We've run into some trouble before with rituals. He just wants to be sure no one will be hurt."

"No one, meaning you!" Jack said glaring at Daniel, "The last thing you need is for someone to drag hot metal spikes over your back or having to get bit by 3 different kinds of poisonous snakes, or have acid dripped on your-"

"I think they get the idea Sir!" Carter cut in.

Hacen was looking at Jack with pity, "This has happened before to one or both…of you?"

"No! But it could! We've been shocked, drowned, beaten, shot, chained up, burned and all of us have at least died twice and AMAZINGLY brought back to life. Our luck can't go on forever, and I don't want this ceremony to need it."

The prince nodded, "It is understandable that you would question others when you have all been through so much, but we assure you that the ceremony of which we speak will not cause either of you any pain."

"It is a simple utterance of sacred words, and the pressing of a bonding mark to your skin, with the exchange of gifts," Hacen said.

"So it's basically like a wedding," Daniel said, "except it sounds like we have to get a tattoo or brand or…something."

Jack looked over at Teal'c, "You have one of these 'marks' on you?"

"No. I already wore my mark when I arrived on this planet."

"Oh! The…" Daniel waved/pointed at the snake stamped in pure gold on his forehead.

"Indeed."

Looking over at man beside the Jaffa, Jack nodded his head, "What about him? Where's his 'mark' thing?"

"On his lower back, where many young Earth females seem to bare designs."

Sam ogled, shocked, "Ok. No more TV for you."

"I did not acquire this knowledge from television MajorCarter. I witnessed it while shopping for suitable summer clothing with DanielJackson."

Daniel jumped in, "Back to this 'mark'…can it be of anything?"

"Yes of course," Marr said, happy to get back on a subject that he knew something about.

The blue eyed linguist turned to Jack, "What about Earth?"

"A picture of the planet earth?" the older man asked, "That's not my style."

"No, I meant the origin symbol. The seventh chevron!"

Carter looked thoughtful, "You could explain it away as part of the friendship between our two worlds Sir."

Jack glanced over at her, "Then how are we going to explain why you and Teal'c don't have one?"

Daniel smiled, "That's the easy part. They weren't there at the signing of the treaty. You of course didn't think I could handle it by myself, so instead of just me getting marked you did too."

"Sounds good to me," Jack said, sliding his hand down a little too low in public for his young lover.

"Jack! Hand!"

The older man put his other hand out for Daniel, "Alright! All you had to do was ask. No need to yell."


	13. Chapter 13

Samantha Carter sat at the edge of a large glowing pool. A slow flowing waterfall, that seemed to be made only of light, tumbled over the side of a smooth sided cliff. It was a relaxing and beautiful sight and the perfect place to sit and think.

Jack and Daniel were off shopping at the local market for things they needed for the up-coming ceremony and Teal'c was off with his mate, probably having a wonderfully romantic time in a place much like the one before her eyes. Frowning she picked up a crystal rock from the edge of the pool and turned it over in her hand.

"Samantha? You are still here?"

The blonde woman looked up to see Ces standing behind her looking angry, "The Colonel and Daniel are getting bonded on the same day that Prince Marr and Hacen are. We're going to stay and watch."

"I thought you could not stay for long?"

"We'll be leaving soon after this, at least, my team and I will be. Researchers will come and study things for a while, and trade technology or whatever it is that we decided on. Other teams will come back every once in a while to see that things are alright," Sam babbled on, looking back out at the waterfall. She noticed two women had waded into the pool and were headed right for the falling liquid light. When they reached it, they both bowed and then stood again and walked through the curtain.

Ces noticed what Sam was looking at, "They go for the birth stones."

"Birth stones?"

The woman nodded at the crystal the Major was rolling around in her hand, "You have one there, though it is dead. Fresh ones, taken from the cave under the curtain of light, grant one of the pair the growth of a life in their body. It is how we are able to have our children without resorting to the vulgar ways of old."

"A crystal does this?" She looked down at the piece in her hand, "How does it work?"

"Couples go into the caves together and walk among the crystal walls, until they see one of the stones glow near them. They take it from its place and quickly break it open and share the wine inside. They then choose a room that has been hollowed out in the cave and proceed to make their promised child. If all is right with the stars, a life will grow in one of the pair."

"Where do the stones come from?"

"The walls of the cave," Ces said frowning, "I told you of this before."

"No, I mean when they were first used or discovered."

"Our false god brought us them, long ago, when our ancestors refused to populate in the old ways."

Sam turned the crystal over in her hand, "So when one is picked another one grows in its place?"

"Yes," Ces looked deeply into the Major's eyes. "Why do you not love me Samantha?"

"Well," she said taking a deep breath looking out at the scene in front of her, "After I leave here I probably will never come back. It's not that I don't like you. You're a very beautiful woman. I just can't marry you and leave you."

Ces smiled softly, "Your friend Teal'c never thought he would return either."

The major sighed, "Love on our planet is very different Ces. When someone feels for someone else, they want them close. Separation for long periods of time causes one to finally cheat on the other."

Taking a deep breath Ces shook her head sadly, "That is not our way here. Ones from other worlds, and some of the higher ranking citizens, may have as many lovers as they wish as long as each one lives in another city. To be just bonded means everything here, and to die without being so, means one's soul will never find peace."

"You still want to be with me? Even though you know there's a very good chance that I won't ever be back?"

"Yes Samantha. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," Ces cupped her cheek and smiled sweetly.

Sam smiled, "Ces-"

"Please," she begged, tears in here eyes.

"Alright, just don't cry," Sam whispered, leaning in and brushing the other woman's hair behind her ear.

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"Daniel what did you say you wanted me to get you again?" Jack called from across the market.

"Jack…I want it to be a surprise," Daniel shouted back. He stared down at a cage that held an odd looking ferret like creature with metallic rainbow fur.

Jack sighed and looked through the stall he was currently at. Orbs and crystals of all shapes, sizes, and glows filled the small area and retreated as far back as he could see. There was a small old man, with shinning pale green eyes staring at him, smiling.

"Uh…Hello. I'm Jack. We're-"

"You came from the circle of the false Gods and are to be bonded with your choice, Danyel, at the ceremony with the prince and his choice. You search for a bonding gift for him."

"Well…yeah….that about covers everything. So…what are these…crystal things?"

"They are gifts and tools for the Birthing. I do not believe you will need them for some time."

Jack frowned, "Birthing?"

"The birth of a child, Sir," the Major said walking up to the graying man with Ces at her side.

"Major?" he asked, watching the body language between his second in command and the beautiful woman next to her, "Something you like to share with me?"

"I've decided…We've decided to bond too, Sir," she looked at Ces who was looking down at the ground, blushing.

Daniel came out of no where and saved her from having to explain, "That's wonderful Sam!" He gave her a hug and pulled back to smile at the other woman, "You've made a fine choice."

Ces looked up at the compliment and smiled before leaning in and kissing the side of Sam's jaw.

"Well…I'm glad for you Major. Looks like you've finally decided to follow that order about getting a life."

"Yes, sir," she grinned.

"Well…as much as I would like to stand around and chat…I have to go back to picking out a gift," Jack turned and went off toward a pottery dealer.

Sam looked at Daniel, "Do you think Marr and Hacen would let us-"

"I'm sure he would, but I'd pick out my gift and design now…and complete the second step of the bond later, unless the two of you have already…"

"You must ask the Prince for us. It is our law Danyel," Ces interrupted him.

"No need," Marr stepped into the conversation. "I allow it. Samantha is just as responsible for my bond to Hacen as Jack and Danyel are. She too, is my friend."

"Thank you my Prince!" Ces bowed deeply.

Marr reached over and ran one of his hands along the side of her head, "Go and see to the gift for your lover. We will meet later to decide on your symbol."

Ces raised her head and gave the three a dazzling smile before hurrying off.

Daniel grinned at the retreating woman, "She's been alone for a long time, hasn't she?"

"Yes. The woman she longed for…" Marr's face darkened slightly.

"Did something happen to her?" Daniel didn't like the look on Marr's face.

"She…she was sent away from the village…with her…lover and their child," the prince looked at him as if that explained it all.

"Uh…"

"Her…male…lover," Marr spoke to him as if he were talking to a child.

"She was banished because she had a child with a man?" Daniel blinked surprised.

Sam jumped in, "They have another way of reproducing. Ces was telling me about it earlier. The Goa'uld who abducted these people must not have realized all of the preferred the same sex…but when they refused to have children they made these liquid that some how alters the bodies involved in sexual activity to make and allows one of them to carry a child."

Daniel looked at Marr, "So you banish male/female couples?"

"We have found that it is easier if we live apart. No one falls in love with someone that will never love them back, if the ones that would not, are not around."

"So they have their own part of this planet to live on?" Daniel asked.

"Yes…to the west…across the great water."

"So you have no idea about how they live?" Sam looked to Daniel who was amazed.

"We know because traded children tell us of such things. When our children are young we tell them of the other side and ask them how they feel…16 seasons is when they are asked. If they say they would rather love their opposite we understand and we send them across the great water. The same is done on the other side. It is only considered dishonorable, if one lies, about how they feel. Let to…someone get close to them when they do not feel the same…is…our worst crime. This is what Ces's first love did to her…She was truly hurt by it."

Sam looked at Marr, "I'll try not to do the same thing."

Marr smiled at her, "You are different Samantha. You are from a different world, and you may do as you wish. Teal'c has a wife, does he not? His chosen only asks that he love _him _while he is here. That is all."

"All the same…I think I'll stay single…she deserves as much."

Daniel smiled, seeing Sam's softer side, but then turned back to Marr, "What are you getting Hacen for a gift?"

The prince moved in close so only Daniel and Sam could hear him, "Some of the finest oils in our world. His skin will smell as sweet as the palace gardens in spring and glow as if all three of our moons had given him their light." When the man pulled away the dreamy look that had fogged his eyes remained.

Sam and Daniel shared a look of 'He's got it bad'.

"What have you selected for Jack?" Marr asked Daniel trying not to blush.

"Uh…"

"Samantha?"

"Hey! I have a reason! I just got into this!"

"Come! I will help the two of you choose a gift for yours," Marr smiled and turned to led them to the best gifts.


	14. Chapter 14

The next morning, even before the sun had risen in the sky, the three couples were all rudely awoken by their wedding attendants and taken away to two separate tents. One was for the dominants or Ahala and the other for the Adsero or submissives. There each of the three, from either side, was bathed, consulted, and robed. Now all they had to do was wait, until all the guests had arrived, so the ceremony could begin.

Daniel tugged nervously at his ceremonial robes. Jack had insisted that they both wear the color orange and that it had to be a shade that brought out Daniel's eyes. The very thought of how Jack had been looking at him when he had said that make him blush bright red. He quickly peaked out of the tent and gasped at the sight of all the people who had gathered to watch the bondings.

"Danyel?" Ces called, making the man jump back.

"Yeah?" he dropped the tent and turned back around.

She smirked, "You are nervous!"

"Of course I'm nervous! Have you _seen_ all those people out there that are going to be watching us? Aren't you nervous?"

"No…I am happy," she blushed and touched her emerald green robes, "I am in love again."

He relaxed slightly, "I'm in love too, it's just that I never thought I would be getting married in front of this many people, especially not to Jack."

"But you should be joyous! So many people support your bond here, unlike on your world," she laid a hand on his arm. "But that is not what is making you nervous is it Danyel?"

"No. Not really," he mumbled.

"Then?"

"What if I do something wrong? What if everyone in the crowd laughs at me? What if Jack laughs at me?"

Ces bit her lip to keep from laughing, "Your world must be a very hard place to live in indeed! To think you worry so much about being imperfect!"

Daniel frowned, giving her a confused and hurt look.

"We do not expect perfect here Danyel. I have seen many bondings and I have seen many not go as perfectly as you would wish. We do not laugh at mistakes, because they are part of life. Life is not perfect so you should not seek to make it so."

"Does everyone here think that?"

Ces gave him a wary smile, "Some think more like you do, but it is a taught to us all when we are small children, that perfection doesn't always have the best out come. Sometimes the mistakes are better than the perfection."

He gave her a grin, "I suppose you're right. After all, it was mistakes that brought us this far."

She raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to say something but Prince Marr came into the tent.

"I have never been so…so…" He looked to Daniel worriedly.

"Nervous?" the blue eyed man tried.

The Prince went and sat on a cushion, "Perhaps that is it. I have no reason to be nervous! I love him!"

Ces rolled her eyes, "Males! Do you all worry about being so nervous?"

Daniel shrugged, "We just need to think about something else."

"Do you have something in mind?" she asked, looking at the prince almost sadly.

"What did you get Sam for her bonding gift?"

She thought about it quietly, "I will tell, if you tell me what you are going to give to your Jack."

When he saw Marr look up interested, Daniel nodded, "Sounds fair."

"She will get an Inoral."

The blue eyed man's eyebrows shot up, "Uhh…"

"It is a stone that is used in relaxation," Marr smiled at Daniel's shock. "It makes sounds that calm nerves, though none of our people know how it makes these. They are harvested from caves, and are very rare, because the people sent to retrieve them become too relaxed to work. It can take up to a year to harvest even one."

The linguist smiled, "Sam needs all the relaxation she can get. Sometimes she works too hard."

"I saw that in her. I knew it would be a truly wonderful gift for her, since I can not be at her side to relax her myself," Ces whispered softly. "What did you get your Jack?"

Marr grinned, "His Jack is a hard one to get a gift for. Or maybe it is that Danyel does not think much is good enough for him."

Blushing Daniel sent a look at the prince, causing Ces to giggle, "I just wanted him to have something that honored him."

"What did you get?" she asked nudging the blue eyed man.

"One of the finest daggers even I have ever seen. I would not have taken Daniel for a man that knew of weapons, but he had one created. I have seen nothing like it in all my seasons! It is almost more art than weapon!"

Daniel blushed, "I just made a few changes to one of the designs already made."

"It is genius!" Marr was gazing at him man proudly.

Ces sighed loudly and rolled her eyes, "Is that all men talk of? Weapons and nervousness?"

All of a sudden the prince's eyes became worried again, and he looked at Daniel, "What if I'm-"

"You will be fine my Prince," A man in white robes said smiling at him from the doorway, "It is time."

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Jack looked down at his orange robes and grinned, "You're going to look amazing in this…"

Hacen smirked from his seat across from Jack, "I have a feeling he will be more than enough gift for you in that color."

The older man blushed but smirked, "I don't know if I'll be able to say anything."

"I do not know if anyone else will be able to either," Hacen chuckled back, "You are very blessed."

Jack mock glared at the slightly younger man, "Keep your thoughts to yourself Hacen. As a man in love, I can't be held responsible for my actions."

"As another man in love, neither can I," Hacen bowed his head smiling to himself.

At that Jack chuckled, "So, what did you get Marr?"

"You mean as his bonding gift?"

"Yeah."

Blue/silver eyes flashed in playfulness, "I am not sure I can tell you."

Raising an eyebrow Jack quirked a smile, "Oh really?"

"It is hard to explain what it does," Hacen amended, blushing brightly when he realized what Jack thought his gift was for. "It is a device that changes color and glows brighter when people close to it are feeling the same emotion."

Jack gave him an odd look, "If you don't mind me asking-"

"You wish to know what purpose that could serve my bonded?"

"Well…yeah I guess," Jack mumbled, picking at the pillow he was sitting on, now embarrassed because he'd asked in the first place.

"Not only can my love and I use it, to gauge our feelings about certain topics together, but he also may use it when making treaties with other townships of our world when he is king."

"Wow that's…a great gift," Jack frowned thinking what he'd got Daniel was no where near as good.

Sam ducked into the tent and shook her head, "Have you seen that crowd out there?"

Dark brown eyes widened, "No…Why?"

"Well, Sir, it's huge."

"It is not every day that a Prince is to be bonded. Many have come from afar to see this ceremony. There will be festivities for many, many days."

Taking a deep breath Jack got to his feet and came up beside Carter, peeking out the door, "Holy…"

"Yeah…" she mumbled.

"Well if I wasn't nervous before," Jack dropped the flap and walked over to the nearest top pole, and banged his head against it.

"I know what you mean Colonel. How do you think I feel? I just got into this yesterday!" she flopped down on a cream cushion and sighed.

"What'd you get your lucky gal Carter?" Jack asked, banging his head against the pole again.

"Marr said helped me pick out a pet for her. Do you know what a Phoenix is?"

"A city in Arizona?"

She gave him a tight smile, "Well a Phoenix was said to be a mythical bird that catches fire when the time for it to die. When it's done burning, it re-spawns from the ashes. The pet I got her is like that, only it looks more like a house cat. If its body becomes too old or hurt, it will burn itself up and be reborn. He said it was a gift often gave to those who have mates that live far away from each other, since it's very protective."

"Flaming Ball of Feline Furry?" he asked even more depressed. Carter's gift was great too. Why couldn't Daniel have just _told_ him what to get?

Chuckling, she nodded, "Something like that, Sir. What'd you get Daniel?"

Jack sighed and opened his mouth to tell her but a man dressed in white entered their tent, "It is time."


	15. Chapter 15

The first thing Daniel saw as he was being led out with Ces and Marr, were the weird egg shaped objects that were set on an altar, behind a man in white robes. As he got closer he saw that each egg bore a symbol, including the sign Daniel and Jack had chosen, the point of origin from Earth.

He glanced over the crowd of people to the other tent where Hacen, Jack and Carter were emerging from. As he continued forward, Daniel tried to get Jack's attention, but after a few feet he realized that Jack was probably so nervous right now that he couldn't even think about much more than attempting to say the right words.

As Daniel moved into place between Marr and Ces, the world around him faded away and all he could do was concentrate on Jack who looked almost pained and pale as he stared back at Daniel. For a fleeting moment, the blue eyed linguist thought that the Colonel might have changed his mind, but he quickly squashed the feeling down and gave Jack a reassuring smile.

"There are many things to say about marriage," the man in white robes said aloud, causing the people before them to quiet, "Much wisdom concerning the joining together of two souls, has come our way through the paths of belief, and from many cultures. With each union, more knowledge is gained and more wisdom gathered. Though we are unable to give all this knowledge to these two, who stand before us, we can hope to leave with them the knowledge of love and its strengths and the anticipation of the wisdom that comes with time. The law of life is love unto all beings. Without love, life is nothing, without love, death has no redemption. Love is anterior to Life, posterior to Death, initial of Creation and the exponent of Earth. If we learn no more in life, let it be this.

"Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. As with any aspect of life, it has its cycles, its ups and its downs, its trials and its triumphs. With full understanding of this, these pairs have come here today to be joined as one in marriage. Others would ask, at this time, who gives the adseros in marriage, but, as a life is not property to be bought and sold, given and taken, I ask simply if they come of there own will and if they have their family's blessing.

Adseros, is it true that you come of your own free will and accord?

Daniel, Ces and Marr all smiled at the same time, "Yes, it is true."

"With whom do you come and whose blessings accompany you?"

Teal'c stepped forward, "The Adseros come with me, their protector, and I am accompanied by all of their family's blessings."

"Please join hands with your chosen," the each person of the three couples, stepped forward and took their lover's hand, "and listen to that which I am about to say. Above you are the stars, below you are the stones, as time doth pass, remember...

"Like a stone should your love be firm like a star should your love be constant. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect guide you in your marriage, let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable. Be close, but not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding. Have patience with one another, for storms will come, but they will pass quickly.

"Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened give you unease, for the true gods are with you always.

"Ahalas, I have not the right to bind thee to your chosen Adsero, only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time." and place your mark in them, where ever you choose.

Jack, Hacen and Sam smiled, "It is my wish," they all said together.

"And place your mark in them, where ever you choose," the man motioned, and the attendants that had fussed around them all day, each handed an egg with the correct symbol on it.

Jack nervously took the egg and came over to Daniel's left side and pulled the fabric away from his upper arm. He made sure the egg wasn't at an angle, and then pressed it into Daniel's upper arm. The egg glowed and then brightened briefly before dimming again. When Jack pulled it away a black symbol for Earth was marked on Daniel's skin. He handed the egg to Daniel and stepped back, looking into Daniel's eyes.

Hacen came forward next. He pulled open the front of Marr's robes at his chest. He leaned in very close and pressed his egg into Marr's right peck, watching as it glowed and then flashed before pulling away and putting the egg into his lover's hand.

Sam blushed, as she kneeled down and raised Ces's robes to reveal her upper thigh. She blushed even more as she heard Jack's cough as she pressed her egg into the woman's thigh, watching it flash and then dim again. She stood and quickly looked into Ces's eyes, as she handed off the egg to the other woman, who looked so happy she was about to cry.

"Adseros I have not the right to bind thee to your chosen Ahala only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time.

"It is my wish."

"And now place the mark on them, wherever you choose."

Daniel really wanted to kiss Jack, because he still looked like he was about to pass out. Instead he pushed away the cloth at the colonel's left upper arm, moving his hand across the his skin in reassurance, before pressing the egg down into his skin. When Jack had done this to him, his skin warmed and tingled, burning almost when the light flashed, but not enough to really be called pain, so he knew when he saw Jack flinch briefly what it was about. He pulled away and smiled at Jack, holding the egg in his hands.

Marr went forward and reached up to pull Hacen's robes open, but first looked up to see that it was alright. The older man nodded slightly, and Marr hesitantly caressed the older man's peck with his finger tips before pressing the egg into his skin. When he was finished, he stepped back, and lowered his eyes to the ground, blushing.

Now that it was Ces's turn, it flitted through both Jack and Daniel's mind for a moment that the red-head would now be pulling up Sam's robes up to her thigh, but they were both surprised when the women chose instead to place it on the blond woman's stomach, just above her belly button.

The man in white robes motioned again and a goblet was brought forth and handed to the Ahalas, "May you drink your fill from the cup of love."

Jack, Hacen and Sam all came forward to their lovers and held their goblets to their chosen's lips. After taking a drink, the other three took the cup from their lovers and pressed it back, allowing the others to take a drink.

"By the faith in all those here, and by the true gods, I now pronounce you Ahalas and Adseros. May your love so endure that its flame remains a guiding light unto you."

And the three couples kissed, and the silent crowd gave a deafening cheer.

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Later Jack and Daniel were sitting on a stack of pillows under a canopy of wispy cloth, on the outer edge of what had to be the biggest party SG-1 had ever been in on.

"Hammond's going to radio us tomorrow," Jack mumbled, rubbing Daniel's chest under his shirt.

Daniel smirked, and tipped his head back looking up at Jack, "Yeah…we should probably tell him we're through with our part here…"

"We could lie and stay awhile longer…I mean…it's our honeymoon and all and I'd rather not spend it fighting snake heads."

The linguist chuckled, "Saving the world can be romantic sometimes…"

Jack grinned and leaned downward to give Daniel an up-side-down kiss, "Saving _you _is _more_ romantic."

The other man smiled fondly at Jack before reaching around behind him and pulling out a leather pouch, and handing it up to the older man, "Your wedding gift."

Jack blushed and untied the leather strings around the package and flipped the leather aside, "Daniel!" He looked at the knife in his hand. The handle was made out of white gold embossed on the surface was the symbol for Earth. Wrapped around the sides of the handle was something written with pure gold in Ancient. The blade itself was doubled edged , but on the edge that curved in, there were long flame like teeth, "What's it say?"

"I take this up to fight not because I wish to harm, but because I wish to protect something near and dear to my heart," Daniel whispered, giving Jack a quick smile. "It seemed fitting for you, since you're only going to use this when you need to save me."

The colonel leaned in and gave Daniel a lingering kiss, before pulling away, "And I'll kill whoever is making you be 'in danger' with it too. Thank you Daniel." Jack wrapped the knife back up in the leather and set it aside, before reaching over and grabbing a large square thing and laying it on the younger man's chest.

Daniel unwrapped it and was surprised to find a large book with an amazing decorated cover, bound in dark brown leather and gold, "What's this?" He opened up the cover and saw Jack's messy scrawl written over one of the pages.

'_I know I'm not the best guy in the world to tell someone my feelings, out loud, but I thought you should be able to get them out of me some how. My gift to you is this book, which I will write down, each and every time I can remember from a day that I've thought about telling you just how much I love you. I want you to keep this close to you when we fight and when we're apart, you can remember each and every time I told you I loved you._

_Yours Forever,_

_Jonathan Jack O'Neill'_

Tears dripped down Daniel's cheeks as he looked up at Jack again, "Thank you so much…I…I don't even know what to say…"

"You like it? It's not like that cat thing Carter gave her wife or anything but-"

"Jack…" He sat up and pulled himself into the older man's lap, "it's perfect."

The colonel relaxed and cupped Daniel's cheek, "I think I need to write something in it right now…."

"Later," Daniel whispered pulling Jack's lips down to his.

And the other man agreed. After all…this moment wasn't over yet…


End file.
